Van Helsing 2: Shards of Avalon
by Beguile
Summary: Van Helsing has to hunt down Morgan le Fey in England. It couldn't be that simple though. With his smallish friar, a melancholic vampire, a tribe of gypsies, and plenty of faeries, his new mission takes him closer to death and even worse: his past.
1. Another Day In The Life Of

Warning: Please take note of this now before you continue reading! This story contains SPOILERS for the movie Van Helsing. If you have not yet seen the movie and DO NOT want the ending to be revealed, I suggest you don't read this. But if you feel like you want the story ruined, than be my guest. Just don't take it out on me if you now know the ending of the movie.

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringement of copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Additional Disclaimer: The character Morgan le Faye and all references involving the character are the property of the authors of all books about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. This is, once again, an amateur effort with no intention of infringing on copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: Van Helsing's second mission leads him to London where he must match wits with one of the most powerful sorceresses in the world, Morgan le Faye. 

Timeline: Directly after the movie Van Helsing. Also deals with flashbacks to before the movie, namely the past that Gabriel can't remember.

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Van Helsing 2: Shards of Avalon

Chapter 1: Another Day In The Life Of

There was no time for pleasantries, but Gabriel Van Helsing could not recall a time when there was time for anything other than business between he and Cardinal Jinette. The man was a walking stone, completely void of any other thoughts besides God's will. As well, Van Helsing could probably not think of an enjoyable conversation between them while there was work to be done.

His recovery time was oddly fast, as it had always been for him. The bite marks on his chest from the werewolf healed into a large area of white scar tissue on his chest. The bruises on his back eventually stopped swelling and began to shrink back to their normal size. The scrapes and scratches that lined his body from his tumble through Dracula's tower were beginning to create tiny lines across his body, crisscrossed fine white lines where bloodied cuts had once been. 

He and Carl arrived back in Rome without much delay following Anna's funeral pyre. Their horses were swift across the varying landscapes of Europe, through dark forests with paths that merged with the trees every now and then to confuse the riders and vast fields with nothing ahead, behind out to the sides of them. The open spaces felt free to him, the chains of the order unbinding him and dropping off his limbs and for hours he could have been a vampire himself and still felt blissfully free. 

"You're mission was to protect the last of the Valerious's, not destroy the bloodline." Cardinal Jinette said, leading Van Helsing back down the stone staircase and into the underground of the Vatican. Gabriel maneuvered himself through the lines of Friars and Monks as he kept up with Jinette.

"It was not my intention."

"Well, it would be a first for you to have an intention to not kill something." Jinette said. Van Helsing found his words rather harsh. He closed his mouth. "I assume that Dracula has been destroyed?"  
"Yes." 

"And you are suffering no ill effects from your travels?"

"No. None that I'm aware of." He answered quickly, following behind Jinette as a hound would follow its master, nipping at the heels of its owner impatiently. He dismissed the analogy. It made him feel more bound to the place he was trapped in.

"Then the council has found a new mission for you." Jinette said quickly. 

It would be fitting that they would have something else to keep him occupied. Gabriel could remember few times in the past four years where he had nothing to do. The council liked to keep him busy. It seemed to be a test they shared amongst their members: What can we possibly get Gabriel Van Helsing to do next?

They seemed to enjoy having him out of their hair for weeks and sometimes months (depending on travel and health conditions). It gave them the opportunity to relax again, knowing the monsters of the world were being destroyed and they didn't have a menace like Gabriel Van Helsing in their midst. He was out killing heathens and monsters alike, Satan's servants, and those who were true followers of evil. 

They gave Van Helsing a sickening feeling in his stomach. To sense evil was to look into a creature's soul and feel their sins and the intent behind them. And he hated every second of being able to feel like he was under the control of a darker force. 

The darkened confines of the councils' 'headquarters' surrounded him as he and the Cardinal walked down the steps, Carl bumbling behind them before taking off to his own little work station to continue working on new 'toys' for Gabriel. Jinette lead Van Helsing for briefing at the slide projector once again, immediately showing him a rough sketch of what seemed to Van Helsing to be a murder scene. Dark pencil sketched in the outlines of gashes and stab wounds on the victim's body, blood scribbled in pools over the floor. 

"Seven people murdered in London over the past four days." Jinette began, arms crossed behind his back and head up in the air. His eyes glanced from the drawing to Van Helsing who moved to his side, looking over the picture before the slide was changed to a portrait of a broad sword. "Each of them collectors of ancient weapons, in particular Celtic weaponry, and each of them had one piece of their collection missing after they were killed."

"And I'm supposed to do what? Track down antiques?" He asked, slightly confused over his purpose in such a case. It didn't seem typical for him to get something so normal and straightforward. Usually the victims were drained of blood or mangled beyond compare before he was sent in to do his job. He was not hired as a public investigator for a common civilian crime.

"The murders are not random acts for antiques, Gabriel. They are consistent with the arrival of a ship carrying a sorceress named Morgan le Faye." The slide changed to a portrait of a woman, cold eyes staring from under a layer of darkened curls. Her face was frozen, timeless and expressionless, eyes locked with Gabriel Van Helsing's for the time being. "She arrived in England and was not heard of again after she left the ship she arrived on."

"She arrived by ship?"

"After traveling through France, also resulting in the deaths of several famous collectors."

"So she likes swords."

"A clue for your investigation, I hope, since you are going to England to stop her."

Gabriel had nothing more to say. _Just another day in the life of…_he thought to himself, taking one last glance at the picture before going to find Carl.

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Author's Notes: I am not a perfectionist. I realize that there are going to be mistakes. I would appreciate some constructive criticism if anyone can help me to improve. Although I love good reviews, having something to work at in later chapters is always a blessing.

Flaming is never nice to get, but if you feel the need to berate me, do so in an e-mail. My address is shadowkitten150hotmail.com. Any comments will be read and treated with as much respect as I can muster for them. I don't condone flaming under any circumstances.

Thank you and please review with anything: Thoughts, ideas, opinions, and most definitely constructive criticism.

Also the following chapters will be longer. This was just to post to see if anyone can give me some pointers on how to improve. Thank you for reading!


	2. Know Your Enemy

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts pertaining to the movie Van Helsing is the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort and no infringement of copyright policies was intended. It is for entertainment purposes only. 

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Chapter 2: Know Your Enemy  
  
"A sorceress eh?" Carl asked rhetorically. Gabriel knew he wasn't expecting a confirmation on that. He had just told him the new mission. "Well then you won't need the usual. Take this please..." He tossed over the leather sack to Gabriel. He caught it in just enough time to have his short friend begin tossing in various weapons and defense mechanisms.  
They started at the end of the table, moving past the rings of garlic and the silver stakes, all the while Carl shaking his head. Every time he moved it the absurd helmet shook and jingled, the magnifying glasses sliding down over his eyes from their position on the top of his head. They looked like broken insect antennas.  
"All magical wielding creatures hate one thing." He said, searching through a series of boxes. Each were filled to the brim with different types of bullets, some silver plated, some gold plated, and several groups of fragile ones made of glass and filled with various coloured substances. "Fire. They burn very easily." He said, picking up one box of glass bullets with a yellowish liquid inside. "These explode on contact and will completely consume a magic wielding creature."  
Carl picked one up and out of the box before promptly hurling it as hard as he possible could to the ground a fair distance away from them. The glass canister refused to break. Gabriel looked back at Carl.  
"I assume it was supposed to something." He said, looking back at the bullet.  
"Well not everything's perfect." Carl said, moving to pick up the bullet. He wasn't fast enough. At that moment a Monk walked by, not watching where he was putting his feet and stepped on it.  
Immediately there was a tiny crack as the bullet exploded. Flames rose from the liquid and licked at the robes that hung low on the man's body. Carl's eyes widened and he set the bullets on the table, looking around for some water or something to extinguish the flames. A second Friar took care of it, dumping a bucket of water on the growing fire to put it out.  
"Sorry father." Carl said, getting a nasty look from one of his coworkers.  
"And they call me a menace to society." Van Helsing said, turning back to the table as Carl strapped a lid to the box of bullets and slid it into the bag. He continued down the table.  
"Holy water." He said, putting the bottle next to the bullets. "Also if the bullets go off in the bag that will put them out."  
"That's comforting." Gabriel said, making a special glance into the bag at the box of bullets just to be sure. Carl's previous demonstration had done nothing to ease his anxiety over carrying them in pack. Carl moved past the silver stakes. "No Crucifix this time." He ignored the silver plated crucifix and walked on. Van Helsing followed.  
"You'll need an axe or a sword as well."  
"For what?"  
"Well for cutting off their heads obviously. You know nothing about sorceresses or witches do you?" Carl asked. Gabriel sighed exasperated.  
"No but by the time we finish this conversation I'm sure I'll know enough."  
"Well they're not like your average immortals, you know vampires and faeries. Bloody bastard faeries. Keep away from them if you can since they tend to stick with the sorceresses like flies to a corpse." Carl looked through the selection of swords and axes they had, moving through them to find a specific one. He held up one and compared it to Van Helsing, squinting his eyes as if mocking a tailor before tossing it aside on a table of other weapons. "Definitely not." He said, going for another. "Besides you are dealing with Morgan le Faye here."  
"What's the difference?"  
"Have you ever picked up a book in your lifetime Mr. Van Helsing?"  
"As long as I've got you around I have no use for books Carl." He said, watching Carl pick up another sword and compare it to him once more. This time, the magnifying glasses were in front of his eyes and made them the size of large beetles. He blinked a few times and shook his head.   
"Definitely not." He tossed it aside as well. "Morgan le Faye was born in eleventh century England to the Lady Igraine and her husband the Duke of Cornwall. She was also..."  
"The half-sister to King Arthur and a had a pivotal role in the downfall of Camelot. Come on Carl everyone knows that part of the story."  
"And I thought you didn't read, Mr. Van Helsing."  
"I don't. That's general knowledge."  
Carl finally picked up an axe, looking between Gabriel and the weapon before shaking his head. The table was now holding up a growing pile of weapons Carl has discarded. "Anyways, she disappeared not long before Arthur's death and was never heard of again until some time in the thirteenth century when she was under the supervision of Merlin the magician. The council sent their first hunter after her, and he brought back news that she had in fact killed off Merlin in an effort to assume his power. But the power she exerted on him nearly killed her."  
Carl finally held up the last sword, a long silver broad sword. The forte held an inscription of runes that Van Helsing couldn't translate at first glance. The pommel was a large ruby encased in thin silver bands coming together in a sharpened point on the end. The cross guard was studded with tiny stones and more runes lined the edges. Carl grabbed the scabbard from the rack and slid it inside.  
"This one will do." He said, handing it to Gabriel. He took it and shifted the bag about in his arms to better hold the weapon. Carl moved past the blacksmith and Gabriel could see his body tense temporarily and eyes widen quickly before getting finally away from the heavy-set priest. Gabriel said nothing as the moved further into the darkened rooms of the order, past tables of religious figures testing new weapons. He gazed off past the swords and axes to the rapid-fire weapon being tested again. As far as he knew they were still having troubles with the clips and the projectiles getting caught in the barrels.  
"It is believed that she became a servant of the Queen of Magic to gain her power before she attempted to bring down her brother's kingdom." Carl said, going down another table, picking up objects more quickly this time. "Pentacle." His picked up a long silver chain with the five-pointed star on the end. "Protects against magical forces and evil spirits you may meet on your way. The older witches usually have one or two ghosts watching their steps and, of course, faeries." He sounded angry at the word, spitting it out before moving on. "Grappling gun." He put one into the bag away from the bullets.  
"After Arthur died some say that Morgan changed completely and killed off the Queen of Magic to free herself from contract." Carl grabbed several glass orb filled with more yellow liquid. "Fire bombs." He said, putting several in the sack. "After inheriting the kingdom she was beaten down by Merlin who took control of her."  
"And I assume she didn't like that."  
"Actually she used Merlin, in the beginning anyway, to gain more knowledge of magic in general. And now she's back once again, killing off sword collectors."  
"Any particular swords?"  
"No connection at all. They were just seemingly random weapons." Carl said, grabbing up two tojo blades off the table. "The usual." Van Helsing put them in the pockets in his sleeves instead of in the bag. He came to the end of the tables and stopped, watching Carl pick up two clay canisters.  
"Greek fire." He said finally. "Something you'll enjoy, I imagine. The liquid flame starts to burn slightly when ignited, but the difference is that the more water you put on it the bigger the fire gets." He handed them to Gabriel. "Do you want a demonstration?"  
"No, Carl, I don't want to imagine what would happen if you tried to show me how these work."  
"Very well." Carl said. He looked into the bag. "Well, bullets, bombs, pentacle, tojo blades, sword, holy water, Greek fire...I think that's it."  
"One last thing Carl: Specifically, how do I kill her?"  
"Decapitation or fire are the most effective methods, although, cutting off her right hand might help as well."  
"What do you mean?" He asked, flipping that bag onto his back, running his hand under the strap.  
"Morgan le Faye bears the mark of the pentacle on her right hand." He said. "It's what gives her the power to maintain the kingdom of magic. If you were to cut it off she would lose all of the abilities she assumed as Queen of Magic."  
"And those are?"  
"No one knows the full extent of her abilities. She claimed to be a great healer, however, even claiming to be able to bring the dead back to life." Carl made it sound so simply when he said it like that. Gabriel knew better.   
"I thought there wasn't anyone who could bring someone back from the dead?"  
"It was a rumour, Mr. Van Helsing. Nothing more." Carl said. "To date there have been no mages who could ever manage to bring someone back from the dead, except maybe Frankenstein but look where that got him."  
Gabriel closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The name triggered something inside him, bringing him back to the icy fortress through the map, back inside the mind functions of a werewolf. His whole being was driven by the need to feed.   
He could still see her face, tightened in frustration as he charge upon her. She looked like she could have taken on anything at that moment when she finally got the needle inside him. And then her face changed in a cortortion of pain as he fell on top of her, crushing her chest and the bones within it, halting her breath and causing her heart to stop mid beat.   
His chest started to hurt again, the deep punture wound from the needle starting to burn with the anger rising from within him. The memories as a wolf, vague as they were, haunted him to that day. To Gabriel, it seemed like he could never stop running from his past, whether he could remember it or not.  
"Mr. Van Helsing?" Carl asked, waking Gabriel from his vigil. "Are you alright?"  
"Fine, Carl." He said, breathing deeply as the pressure in his chest went away. "Just fine."

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Author's Notes: The anatomy of a sword is as follows (In case anyone was wondering): The pommel is at the bottom of the handle on the sword. The crossguard is the horizontal piece the rests between the handle and the blade to protect the hand from being hit by the opponent's blade. The forte is the strongest section of the sword, namely the part nearest the handle. Sometimes runes and signatures of the makers were engraved on this area because it was the strongest section of the blade. 

Review Response: 

Pottermania22: I will try to add more depth to the story. The first chapter always proves most difficult for me (explaining the length). I hope this chapter has more depth and more description. I have moved my story to the Van Helsing category. Thank you very much for your review! 

Midnight Dove: I enjoyed Carl too! I just love David Wenham and when I found out he was in this it was more of a push for me to see the movie. Hugh Jackman was the main reason (obviously). He won't be going on the journey this time, but I'll have flashbacks eventually and everyone loves flashbacks right? Thank you for your comment about me being professional! I appreciate it! Thanks for your review! 

White Wolverine: You read my mind! Morgan le Faye is a character that would do something like that, from my impression of her. She did seduce her brother. That is a good idea! Thank you for reviewing! 

Mistress Natalia: I saw the movie on Friday and had to start writing. Thanks for your review!

Aragornvaar: Thank you for the information about Morgan. I wasn't truly sure who to write the Disclaimer about because there are so many variations. Also, thank you for the information about the Cardinal. I wasn't quite sure how to write his character and that's why he only appears for the short time. I will go back and fix up the first chapter whenever I can. Thank you for reviewing and your help!

Star Magel: I'm glad you enjoy it! Thanks for reviewing!

Angela Starr: I saw the movie opening night too! I have such a crush on Hugh Jackman now! I hope you continue reading. Thank you for reviewing!

Luthien Saralonde: I hope the rest is just as good. Thank you for reviewing!

Hell On Hooves: Here is the update! I hope it's just as good as the first. Thank you for reviewing!

Lembas7: I love your name! Yes, actually I was going to use the reference to him being the left hand of God. It will come in later chapters, I promise, along with answers to what I believe would be a suitable past for Van Helsing. Thank you for your comments and your review!

Kmia: I'm sorry Jason's being an ass. I always knew he was. Well, actually that's a lie but we can pretend I knew more than I said I did, right? Kidding. Love you too! Thanks for reviewing!


	3. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters and concepts from the movie Van Helsing. It is the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort anf no infringement on copyright laws was intended in the thinking, writing, and/or posting processes of this story. It is for entertainment purposes only.

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Chapter 3: Nightmares  
  
Gabriel Van Helsing's life began for him four years ago on the Vatican steps on one of the rainiest nights in Italy. His earliest memory was looking up into the sky as blurry faces moved in and out of his vision. His back was in agony and he could smell the blood dripping from what he could only assume were some of the worst wounds he had ever suffered from. They were the only scars that stayed on his body, those two large mounds of scar tissue that had grown and failed to fade over the years, still marred by the stitches used to slow the bleeding.   
He remembered looking in the crumby mirror in the badly lit room provided for him at the wounds, one on either side of his spine, looking as if the flesh had simply been ripped from him by a force he could not recall.   
For him, the four years he had been with the Vatican were the only four years of his life. There was nothing before it, no residual memories of a long forgotten past that would appear whenever his memory was sparked by pictures or sounds or smells. There was just an empty darkness that would greet him when he pushed himself to recall something from what seemed to be centuries of lost time.  
He barely noticed the changing landscapes around him as the train sped from station to station. Even as passengers walked to their cabins for a night of rest he remained awake, looking out the window with unseeing eyes. The trees thickened from oak and willow to pine and cedar, the cold winter months approaching so quickly he could smell it in the air. It was the scent of crisp and cold air as the rotting leaves were left under a blanket of white, decorative frost.  
Europe was growing and changing with the times. Cities that were once small villages were growing exponentially, their populations growing so fast buildings were springing up overnight it seemed. All sense of time was lost to him as he looked out the windows of the train car, avoiding sleep because he knew what would come with sleep.  
Sleep would bring the nightmares into his mind like storm clouds. They would billow in his unconscious thoughts during the day, but the second he left the waking world they would move in for the kill, bringing along with them what he could only describe as a past tainted by blood and death, the feelings of anguish and agony as he would fight and kill for an unseen purpose.  
He tilted his fedora down on his face to block out the light streaming in through the window, the train car filled with an orange and pink brilliance that burned at his retinas and left multi-coloured lights in his vision. He didn't feel like sleeping, but almost immediately after his eyelids grew heavy, and the urge to stray from consciousness was growing stronger as he slowly slid into the depths of the imagination.  
It was like a hunter waiting for his prey, as the subconscious rushed in to ravage him with nightmares tales of loss. His senses would come back to him gradually, often starting with the feelings. It was cold and wet. He could feel his clothes pasted to his skin by rainwater, hugging him too tightly. Following that would be his sight, often times blurry. It would take seconds before his eyes would refocus and finally distinguish shapes and colours amidst the dark and dreary world he found himself in. The smells would be salty like the ocean, rushing into his lungs and filling with some comfort. He felt for a moment he was returning home.  
Home? Where was that? He wasn't sure. Feelings, he had determined were usually right and could most often be trusted, but he wasn't sure why he felt so comfortable in his dream place where it was always raining and there was always the shadow of evil that followed him everywhere.  
"Gabriel..." His hearing would come back with the sound of the rain and horse hooves hitting cobblestone, followed by the ghostly whisper of his name by a alto female's voice. It would summon him to the house not far from where he found himself, a place that gave him mixed feeling. On the one hand there was the comfort from the home, the sense of belonging and family within the high cast iron gates that surrounded it. Inside was a menagerie of flowers. Red roses grew in tall bushes on either side of the gate and around the fence. Water lilies floated in the small pond to the left of the path leading up to the mahogany front door, where a brass lion head allowed the visitor to knock before entering. The house was built of grey stone with black trimming and a balcony that looked over the street on the left. Gabriel knew he had been there before, standing outside the gates of the home with the same feelings that he was feeling at that moment, the sense that he belonged there, and something from within called his name.   
At the same time, however, he was met with the feelings of great evil growing from within the walls of the home. It radiated like flames, warding off any who could feel it growing and festering from the inside out until it permeated his whole being. He could feel his hands grow cold and legs grow stiff, his stomach tying itself in knots as he watched the black shadow of death leave its mark upon the house.  
"Gabriel..." The voice summoned him once again, begging this time, sounding more eager than it had before. He pushed open the gate, hearing it close behind him with an agonizing squeak. It shut with a noise so loud it nearly made him jump.  
_"We really should get this fixed." The man said. The woman in the garden laughed, spinning around playfully amidst the overgrown bushes of flowers. Her long blonde curls danced through the air shimmering with the sun as their struck it. "And don't say it's perfect because it's not. There's plenty of work to be done."  
"It's always work, work, work with you, isn't it?" She stopped spinning, hands on her hips, smiling sweetly with a rosy glow to her cheeks. "Come on and just look at this house! It's beautiful just the way it is." He walked over to her, looking into her green eyes and smiling a little, glancing back at the house._

_ "Until of course the floorboards break and we have no second floor." She opened her mouth to protest and hit him playfully, taking his hands in hers and spinning around again as if she were dancing.  
The cloth on her skirt twirled around her, hovering from the ground for a moment before dropping back down on the wet grass. She came closer to the man.  
"Always work, work, work, with you, isn't it Gabriel?"  
_ Van Helsing jerked awake, his hat tumbling off his head and onto the floor. His heart was pounding so quickly he could imagine it jump out of his chest at any moment, breaking through his rib cage and dropping onto the floor. His breath was quickened and every sense was heightened, working faster than he ever experienced before. Night had finally come, the world around the passenger car dark and eerie, the stars looking further away than they ever had before. The moon was a faint blue colour to it, sending long streams of blue light down to the earth and causing his shadow too look much more frightening than he assumed it was.  
His reflection in the window of the car looked almost corpse-like with sunken cheeks and eyes sockets. His dark hair flowed around his neck and shoulders, curling around his clothed collarbones and stopping just past his shoulder. The shine was lost to it now and it hung in one solid thick black mass all the time. His brown eyes were darkened by the moonlight, causing the pupils to disappear into the black irises while the whites were coloured blue. He looked like death itself with his large hat and long coat, sitting in the moonlight and looking out the window.  
Gabriel had seen too much death in his lifetime to truly feel for it anymore. The innocent were what he cared about, namely those who had done nothing to deserve such torment as they received. Anna did not deserve such a death. She did not deserve such an end as the one he had given her.  
_Good God, Gabriel, you're going to drive yourself mad with an attitude like that_, he thought to himself, angrily closing his eyes for a moment and holding his head with his hand, rubbing his temples irritably. Traveling was the hardest part of every mission. He was stuck in a boxcar as he waited to hunt down some of the most powerful creatures on the earth.  
He had never hunted a witch before. Most had been wiped out during the witch hunts in the fifteenth century and the Craft had become a dead thing since. He had been put against vampires though, too many by this time to count. Werewolves were becoming a thing of the past, although within his first two years at the Vatican he had hunted and killed too many to count. Ghosts and spirits were a rare occasion, although it wasn't a surprise to be dispatched to take care of an angry poltergeist that could not leave a family alone.   
But witches were something entirely different, or at least he got that impression from the way Carl talked about them. Faeries were an unknown area of magic to him and what he assumed was the rest of the world. He had never heard the word in his life before, although there was a large amount of time that he could not recall. He had heard about them in fairy tales and storybooks or in public squares where entertainers would provide a good story for a waiting audience. Most often they were ugly and disgusting creatures who lived beyond the moors and only came out to eat children or tell prophecies that would lead to the downfalls of Kings.   
Morgan le Faye looked as if she would do neither. The portrait was in his mind old, and the cracks from age were finally showing in his mind almost like wrinkles, as if she had grown up but only in the painting. The slide did not show much, but he could see her having black hair and fierce dark eyes, ones that could steal the souls off the people she chose. But she looked human enough, and imagining her eating the bones of children was, to him, absurd.  
_"Do you have any family Mr. Van Helsing?" She looked at him through the rain, his hat much too big for her head. Her curls were softened by the fallen rain, stuck to her face and neck. He sighed deeply.   
__"I hope so. It's what keeps me going." He replied, still looking at her eyes, seeing the fire inside her tamed for mere moments it seemed. She was beautiful even in the rain, her features cooled and softened with the falling droplets of rain. He could stand there forever, he knew that. It was one of the few moments he had ever found peace.  
_ But her death followed him. The way her eyes opened wide as the breath was forced from her body by his massive form. The sound of her bone cracking as he came down on top of her pounded inside his skull. He could hear her breath forced from her lungs as her heart immediately stopped mid beat. Everything seemed to stop for a moment. The whole world could have been destroying itself but all that mattered was her, frozen forever, the princess who died, in his mind, too soon.

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Author's Notes: I apologize for the length! I promised long chapters and here I am offering a little more than a thousand words (which to me is a little shameful, sorry, I have high standards). Thank you all for your reviews! Also, another note, the memories I have given and will give Gabriel Van Helsing are not the real storyline of Abraham Van Helsing. I realize that I should have tackled reading the original Dracula first, but I am unfortunately swamped with reading from all the English courses I am taking. Most of the information is inspired by the book The Lord of the Vampires by an author who's name I forgot. It tells the story of the real Dracula with Bram Stroker's characters added in. I apologize to anyone who disagrees with this method of writing and I am very sorry that I cannot give you what Bram had in mind for the real Abraham Van Helsing but I promise to pick up Dracula whenever I can!   
Oh, and lastly, it seems that Carl is a very liked character. I wasn't planning on adding him into the story but if people would like to see Carl come back just say so in your review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! __


	4. The Hunter or the Hunted?

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort. Infringement on copyright laws was unintentional. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

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Chapter 4: The Hunter or the Hunted?

John C. Hamilton had one of the largest collections of ancient weaponry in all of England, although he had recently exaggerated and claimed it to be the largest in all Europe. He had good reason to boast about such a thing if one were to walk around his house, finding the walls of his magnificent ballroom decorated with some of the most extravagant pieces. He did not limit himself to one particular era or country. Hamilton preferred every time and every weapon as if each had a soul. He had katanas and sais from Japan, swords from France, and spears from Anglo-Saxon England that he treated with such high regard they were kept in his bed chamber and often had more of his attention than his beautiful wife did. They were never removed from the walls and polished daily by servants that he had handpicked and trained for the job. He could not trust anyone else with the collection.

When he had moved to England he had twenty or so broad swords, thirty thin bladed daggers and only a single axe. In the center of the modern world, his whole collection had grown exponentially, finally spawning over all eighty-seven rooms of his gorgeous mansion outside of London. Never once had a guest been allowed inside, and eyeing his collection with such intensity it caused his eyes to water, he decided that he would hold a grand ball to show the world that he did have the largest collection in all of Europe.

Hamilton was a wealthy business man, owning many factories in London that were not limited to a single purpose. His industry covered the ports to the south of London along the Thames River and deep within the industrial section of the city where imported raw materials were used to manufacture goods. He had enough money to make the arrangements for the ball in three days flat, including the tailoring of a beautiful gown for his wife, a new suit, and all the food and wine every port from France through to the Mediterranean had to offer. Within a single hour his house saw more visitors than most would see in a single lifetime. Servants ran everywhere washing the marble floors and polishing the mahogany columns in his foyer and around the grand ballroom. Every weapon was polished to perfection, blades gleaming so brightly it was like a thousand mirrors were hung around the walls of his circular hall. The floors were waxed until faces were reflected in them and shoes were slide across them easily. The kitchen constantly smelled of every exotic spice he could get his hands on, the smell permeating every room in the house. His wife began looking through old family jewelry she kept in the ice box, holding the valuable necklaces and chokers to her throat and sliding bracelets on and off her wrists while her maids complimented her mindlessly. Every piece looked spectacular on her. Every hair style was astounding whenever she wished it to be. Their smiles were as false as she was, always grinning whenever they felt the occasion called for it.

He had two hundred invitations made overnight, each out of thick black parchment with his family seal binding the flaps together. When opened a thin dusting of golden powder would tumble out and the words were cleared printed in white ink, the date, the time, and the place for their arrival. The invitations were mailed to nearly all the nobles and politicians and their wives. Hamilton could imagine each of their spouses running for the wardrobes and laying out every gown in their possession before they too were in front of their mirrors with their jewelry and ladies-in-waiting, testing and trying every expensive piece they owned, attempting to outdo the 'competition'.

It seemed to be luck that Gabriel arrived a day before the party. He traveled through the lower class of London to avoid unwanted attention in the late hours of night. The whole of White Chapel district reeked of vomit and ale, smelling of sweat and blood as the prostitutes on the street corners screamed and yelled, the men walking by and shouting things back at them. Laughing was heard from the entrance to every tavern as groups of intoxicated men and women staggered out and into the street, some with their mugs still hanging from one or two fingers on their hand. Gabriel pulled his bandana over his mouth, pulling it tight at the back of his head. It did nothing for the smell, but it kept his face covered just the same.

He moved through the lower class on his horse, watching the women on the side of the street modeling themselves against lamp posts to stay out of the dark alleys. Newspapers moved through the streets, all published with letters and pictures of 'Leather Apron' and 'Jack the Ripper'. He pushed past the crowds of women who were still intent on doing business, faced with the poster of his own face posted on the side of a brick wall. He found it fortunate that most had taken to vomiting and pissing on it than actually looking at it, and continued on.

The sense of evil was growing within him, and it was not just coming from all around him. He could feel the tightening of Morgan's Magick on his throat, and he knew he was getting closer.

The feeling of Magick was unforgettable to him. While evil was the feeling of control and domination, Magick seemed to fill his entire body with power and invincibility. It was as if he were out of his body and within her own, able to experience the force within her hands growing as her will commanded. He shook his head to clear it, dismissing the feelings from his own body but allowed them to exist around him, leading him like a trail directly to his prey.

The lower levels yielded to the higher class homes finally, and he found himself surrounded by the rich and powerful. Carriages were frequent, their white lanterns moving slowly through the night as the coachman maintained a comfortable speed for the riders within. He glanced about the street at the women in long dresses and petticoats, escorted by their husbands or men who courted them for their wives. There was a sense of comfort here, small but illusive. He felt as if he belonged there at one time or another. The homes all bore the same mark of relief that remained amidst the dark and sadistic forces of Morgan le Faye.

Gabriel followed his mind, the feelings of Magick growing stronger with every passing moment. He followed it like a trail of bread crumbs and each step lead him to a stronger sense of where he was growing. There were faint traces of electricity in the air, as if it were charged by an unseen force. The air itself seemed controlled on the street. Every breath of wind carried the scent of flowers and leaves that were uncommon for the area. The ground seemed enchanted. Every step caused small whisperings to come from the air around him up to the clouds in tongues he couldn't understand. Even as the rain started to fall it felt different, as if it fell by some will instead of by nature itself.

_Well at least I know I'm getting close_, he decided, continuing at his slow pace so he didn't miss anything. The voices were growing faster, some darting past his ears and hovering in front of his face for a moment before zooming off again, laughing in shrill voices. He reached for his gun, hearing the voices grow urgent and crazed, murmuring about him, saying his name in every language that they knew. They were flying off again but Gabriel did not follow.

_"If you do anything that I tell you, Mr. Van Helsing, do not follow anyone or anything that sounds unusual. Faeries are devilish and nasty little creatures who would sooner take you to their world and inflict horrible things upon you (Carl shuddered as if he were only imagining what Faerie torture might be like) than help you on your journey. So whatever you do, don't follow any strange voices. Don't give your name to anyone or anything, whether it is physical or not. And watch where you step. Faerie circles can appear anywhere, and I'm sure they won't be far behind if you're dealing with their monarch."_

He kept at his own pace, rolling his eyes at Carl's speech of faeries.

_"If I didn't know better I'd say you had a bad experience with them Carl."_

_ "Once again, Mr. Van Helsing, I read. I don't need any bad experiences although working with you has given me enough to last a lifetime._"

He stopped short, the feelings reaching their peak when he arrived in front of the black cast iron gates. Gabriel looked up at the house, his heart nearly skipping a beat as he looked into the windows of a house he was sure he had seen before. Everything was familiar. The intoxicating smell of flowers from along the gates, the stone walls of the home coloured gray by age. The black trim and balcony looking out over the street welcomed him back to a place he was so sure he had been before and a place he was sure he would return to again.

The sensations of the faerie folk were whispering again. Every flower within took on a life of its own it seemed and the wind grew angry as the temperature dropped. It brushed over his face with a cold breath making his skin prickle. Gabriel dismounted, the wind growing stronger, warning him away. He had just enough time to yank his horse against the gate behind the high bushes of flowers before a second story window opened, the head of a small man peeking out and looking over the street, sniffing the wind.

"I can't see anyone my Lady."

"I can feel someone." A voice replied. The window shut again and Gabriel sighed deeply, looking around the corner and through the gate.

There were footsteps moving through the house, coming down the stairs. They were constricted by a heavy gown, he could tell by the pounding against the fragile wood. The front door slammed open, the wind catching it and causing it to crash against the solid frame of the house.

Gabriel peeked around the corner of the bush, finding his prey right where he expected to. The picture did no justice for her, seeing the way her black curls were caught by the wind and tossed around her head. Her eyes were so old and ancient and touched by inner Magick they held the light of the Fey themselves, and the brilliant deep blue of her irises was illuminated by her subjects. Her skin was fair and pale, almost corpse like if it were not for the make up she had been applying to give herself rosy and full cheeks and dark, gothic lips. She looked around the street, smelling him out, calling her subjects to her and asking them what they could see. She grinned sardonically to herself, pulling the dark blue shall tighter around her body and walked back inside, the wind calming to a soft, warn breeze again at her command. Van Helsing heard the door close and the footsteps return to the top of the stairs before he put the gun back in his holster. He was about to step out from the bushes when the window opened again.

The wind picked up, spinning and swirling playfully as it captured the object she held to it, dropping it down on the pavement next to him. The black parchment caught his eye and he picked it up carefully, finding the seal already broken and the notes inside read through previously. Added to it was a single piece of white parchment with black ink on it, written in her or one of her servants' handwriting.

_"If you truly hunt me you will escort me tomorrow. I will wear black to match you._"

* * *

Morgan le Faye had no idea what truly intrigued her most about her new pursuer. Perhaps it was the feeling she got from him, but she got that from most men. Even Accolon gave her that feeling in the beginning. She assumed it was the challenge he presented and the thought of being chased after once more by a man other than her servants and subjects. Either way, she enjoyed him, and felt as if she should keep him around longer than Accolon.

She did not watch him leave, knowing that he would eventually walk away. If he dared enter she would have killed him by the sword or by Magick. To her they were both as easy to wield. One just needed the right control.

Her interest grew as she dug through her wardrobe, pulling out her old black gown and slipping over the mannequin in her room. It needed some stitching and some hemming, something her Faeries could provide without much asking. They were set to work and quickly had every loose stitch mended and every lace at the back re worked. It looked new.

The wind told her the man was gone. She smiled, happy that she did not have to do away with him. He interested her now. It gave her another reason to attend the ball the following night, other than her first reason, the sword. Eighteen others lay on the round table in her bed chamber, all glowing with the same radiant blue as the lake she had thrown the scabbard into to spite her half brother. She ran her fingers along the hilts of the swords, admiring each for the craftsmanship put into them. _Soon_, she told herself. __

Morgan left her bed chamber and walked down the hall to her private study, free from her servants and subjects for a few hours. She stopped thinking about her intentions of finding the last two swords she required. She was going to find out about her new enemy, just in case he too decided to betray her as Accolon did.

_Accolon was weak from the beginning_. She said to herself. _But this one has power to his name. _Morgan shut the doors with a snap of her fingers and moved to the theology books she collected, pulling one from the shelves and waving a hand over it. There was an immediate reaction as the book opened. Latin scriptures wrote the title at the top: The Left Hand of God.

* * *

Author's Notes: Carl will be returning by popular demand! I have worked it into the original plot, along with a few more characters from Gabriel's past. I am working with the plot device that he is the left hand of Christ, in case anyone did not assume that from the final line of the chapter. Thanks to all the suggestions people have been giving me! I will have the next chapter up in a short while!

By the way, Morgan le Faye refers to a former lover named Accolon at the end of the chapter. This is just a small tidbit of information for those who have not read one of the many books about King Arthur. Accolon was used by Morgan to try and kill Arthur. She stole Excalibur from her half brother and gave it to him. Accolon challenged Arthur and surrendered, telling him the entire plan before Arthur kills him (in the version I read. There are many others).

Also, on a final note, this is not a Mary-Sue. As enjoyable as it is to fantasize about Hugh Jackman, I promise that he and Morgan's relationship is purely based on her manipulative nature, and she wishes to seduce him and use him instead of love him. On the same note, Van Helsing's interest in Morgan le Faye will remain neutral since he is loyal to the Order.


	5. Queen of Faye

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort. Infringement on copyright laws was unintentional. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Chapter 5: Queen of Fey

Van Helsing read through the invitation several more times; looking over the fine movement of her handwriting on the note she had left him, beckoning him to her as if she were a secret lover of some kind. He could think of only two explanations for her behaviour. One was that she was manipulating him, a likely act for any type of monarch to partake in. The second idea was that she was truly interested in him, although he had heard the stories of what befell the men who were infatuated with such goddesses and monarchs like Morgan le Faye.

He could sense that something had followed him when he left the house, staying by him when he took a room at an Inn nearby so he could watch her movements. He did not sleep that night, constantly listening and waiting for the spy to make it self known. In the early houses of morning he heard the smallest breath in the corner of the room and promptly threw a tojo blade, catching the creature in its midriff and impaling it to the wall.

Its bottom half fell off to the floor and crumbled to dust while the top half gave a shrilly scream, writhing in agony before it to vanished to the wind. Gabriel made the sign of the cross and ripped his weapon from the wall, putting it back in his sleeve.

* * *

_The scream awoke him from his light slumber. He stood up from his chair, the books and papers dropping from his chest as he got to his feet and turned towards the stairs frantically, walking there at a brisk pace._

_ His boots pounded on the oak floors of the home and even the carpet that ran to the second floor did nothing to mask his speed and strength applied to each step. The female servant stood outside the door, holding it closed as something inside pounded and shouted to be released. _

_ "I didn't do anything, sir. She was asleep one moment and then screaming the next." He pushed her out of the way, holding the handle himself as the creature inside shouted and screamed more; the high pitched voice resembled a growl and a roar instead of a humanoid sound. There was the sound of furniture breaking as wood splintered and glass shattered. The banging on the door continued as objects were pelted at it and small pieces of wood were blown under the door._

_ When the screaming stopped there was silence for a moment. Finally, the human inside began sobbing as he banging on the door decreased with her strength of will and body. He went inside at last, finding her curled on the floor in her white night gown, her arms holding her knees close to her body as cuts ran along them and bruises were clearly evident on her bony arms. He felt his heart break as he saw her, blonde hair falling out of her scalp and body so withered that breathing on her could have caused a bruise. He came to her side, crouching down to better look at her before placing a hand on her back._

_ The reaction was instantaneous. She looked up with fangs barred at him and lunged._

Gabriel awoke with a start, still seated by the window. The sun was sinking in the sky, low in the horizon, showing the night was coming quickly. He shook his head to clear it, angry at himself once more for falling asleep. He wiped his eyes, breathing heavily as the last memories of his dream went away and his muscles relaxed.

"I wonder what a man such as you could be haunted by." The tojo blades moved into his hands again and he looked about the room, the last of the sunlight showing the figure in the corner clearly. She watched him, amused greatly by his aggression towards her. Gabriel did not put his weapons away and instead pulled on the handles that triggered their spinning. Morgan continued to watch him.

"You have an interesting collection of weapons." She said to him, holding up a clay canister of Greek fire, looking from it to him quickly, her blue eyes reflecting on her feelings of interest towards him. The light from the setting sun moved over her pale skin and black cloak and dress, one side of her hidden in dark shadow while the other basked in the warmth of the disappearing orb of fire. "Are these all for me or do you have some other purpose here?"  
"Guess." He replied quickly, standing up, not allowing him self to remain vulnerable to her attacks. Although, he guessed she was not going to kill him at that point in time. Morgan did not move and moved the clay canister through her hands, her pale complexion clashing with the clay jars. "You have been placed under arrest by the…"

"Spare me." She said quickly, interrupting him. "I am under arrest by no man or God."

"You and every other beast I've killed in the last four years."

"I'm quite sure I am beyond compare to any beast you have caught. Remember that I have been around many more years than they and know much more than you think I do." She rolled the canister in her hands and eyed it suspiciously before looking back at him.

"So are you going to kill me or help me?"  
"Which do you think?"

"I can't imagine that it will be very easy for you." She said, taking the canister in her hand before pelting it across the room at him. The clay struck him in the shoulder as he sent both of the tojo blades flying and the thick, black fluid moved all the way down his sleeve and splashed onto his face. Morgan tossed off her cape, the wide fabric catching both the blades as it was pelted to the walls. The blades slashed through the velvet fabric and pinned it to the walls as its mistress extended her right hand.

They were caught in an impasse, he with his two pistols pointed directly at her, she with her hand outstretched as the pentacle on her palm caught the light and burned with her power. His own weapons were loaded with the bullets Carl had given him, ready to fire at her and turn her skin to charcoal. He watched her own hand though, unsure of what dark spells could pour from her fingertips and ignite the Greek fire that was pasted to his flesh.

"Do it." She willed him, her lips curving into a smile. "You know you want you. What could I possibly do to defend against it?"

He didn't answer, and he didn't fire. He was thinking now of the potential blow-back from the pistols and thought that firing a gun wouldn't help the situation much.

She smirked.

"Fine." She said. "Then I will."

Her hand was engulfed in flames, coming together in front of the pentacle in a channeled orb of energy. Van Helsing fired quickly, the bullets hitting her in the left shoulder and upper chest before she threw the sphere at him. He swerved from it, catching several sparks on his jacket, not enough to harm the skin underneath but enough to ignite the flames on his shoulder.

Morgan spun around and growled to herself, holding a hand to her injuries. The bullets were forced from the skin and the fire was absorbed by her body as the burns healed themselves and the flesh became smooth once more. He continued firing until both weapons were empty and the fire reached his face. It made his hair sizzle and his skin burn with white hot fury that made him groan in agony. She looked at the collection of glass on the floor, watching him try to extinguish the flames himself in the corner of the room. She extended her hand again, paralyzing his body with the invisible force that sprouted from the pentacle insignia. He tried to pull himself from her grasp feeling the evil enter his soul once more with every second. She tightened his grip on him.

"You thought this would be so simply, didn't you?" She asked him, tightening her fist as the force grew on his body, threatening to crush every bone and every muscle inside him. But Morgan stopped when she started to hear his limbs snap. The fire moved over his neck and continued to burn. She walked to him, her hand still in a fist as she touched his shoulder, the fire flickering and slowly dying. Her fingers moved over his face and head, the hair growing back were burnt flesh remained. Her touch was cold, the fingers filled with nothing but ice now from ages of heartlessness. Every time she moved her fingers over his skin she caused the pain to fade but a chill reside in its wake. Morgan's face was so close to his he could smell her, the scent of flowers and salt water meeting his nostrils as she kept his body within the hold of her hand, continuing her hold upon him until her work was done.

"I take it I can't convince you to join me this evening?" She asked him, knowing he would not answer. His jaw was locked completely, his breath coming in and out through his nostrils like a bull. Morgan put on a face of mock sadness, pouting her dark bottom lip a little. She shrugged and flicked her right wrist, tossing him onto the bed. He felt the control of his body return to him again, just as she came to him and knelt on the edge of the bed, leaning over him slowly. The corset constricted her movements very little and she still seemed to move gently as if part of the wind itself.

"Killing you would be too easy." She said, hands on his shoulders, her touch like flames now. He glared angrily, pushing against her, but Morgan had strength inside her that was not visible to the naked eye. "So I will give you a warning: Follow me and I will finish what the fire started."

She got up and off the bed, walking out of the room so quickly he had barely any time to sit up and run after her. The door slammed on her command, her pale face looking back at him as she lifted her skirt and headed down the stairs.

Gabriel grabbed the door. The handle wouldn't move, locked in place.

He marched over to the window, finding it bolted. He grabbed his tojo blades and pistols, reloading them before grabbing the sword from under the bed and strapping it to his belt. Without another thought on the subject he ran and tackled through the glass.

It shattered around him and he landed on the slant of the roof, his feet striking the shingles. He took a moment to catch his balance, making sure that his terrain was not going to fall.

Her carriage pulled off into the street.

Gabriel watched her. The shingles started to slide down the roof. He tried to catch his balance but he tripped and slammed his head into the window sill before sliding down the roof. His hand gripped the ledge before he tumbled off.

_She's not making this easy is she?_

* * *

He knew Morgan wanted him to follow her. She wanted his attention. She wanted him to chase her because it gave her a purpose. It made her feel important in some small way to have the excitement of Gabriel Van Helsing pursuing her.

_I'd hate to disappoint…_He thought, pulling him self up to the roof again. He reached his hand for the window sill, allowing it to rest on the rough surface of the roof for a moment before pressing his palm to it tightly, trying to use it as a grip. He let go with the other hand and pushed his palm to the shingle. Gabriel shifted his hands upward. The sweat on his hands caused him to slide again, leaving tiny scratches on his hands that were riddled with grit and tiny pieces of grime. Getting a grip on the ledge again was a pain and his tendons were almost popping out of his skin.

_Well, this is getting interesting._ Van Helsing looked down at the buildings and alley beneath him, trying to get a clear view of where he could easily drop to. The roof beneath him was completely flat but easily twenty feet beneath. He looked to his right side, finding the street empty and the buildings made of antique stone, perfect for embedding his grappling hook into.

Awkwardly, he grabbed it from his coat pocket before aiming (also awkwardly), and firing. His hand slipped just as the hook flew outward and struck the ledge near the roof of the building, and Gabriel swung down to the ground below.

His feet brushed the pavement. He had just enough time to let go and slide to the ground face first before the gun struck the wall of the opposite building. He got back to his feet, brushing himself off a little before grabbing his gun and winding the cord back into the barrel for a future time. He did wait for the rest to ravel. He finished as he ran off down the street.

* * *

Morgan walked up the front steps with no escort, something she loathed more than anything. She thought it was Merlin's good sense that was finally taking hold of her, and despite her abilities to control Gabriel Van Helsing's mind, she ignored the notion because it took away from the enjoyment of her evening. The thought of him rushing out to be rid of her were making her heart pound in anticipation. He was chasing her like a hunter stalking his prey, but she was equally as cunning. She knew he would not stay inside his room. She knew the locks on his door and window would not stop him from chasing her to hell and back. He would be persistent with his hunt for her, and the idea kept her blushing all through the evening.

Her invitation was accepted immediately, although the doorman was giving her a strange look. The other women all arrived with a man latched in their arm, while she arrived alone and unattended without even a chaperone. Morgan was allowed inside anyways, and she smiled at the young doorman, picking up her skirt slightly as she moved through the crowds of people also invited to the party.

The ballroom was completely made over with the chandelier lit up at the ceiling. Over two hundred candles were burning at that moment, allowing the room to note the beautifully painted ceiling. Large angels and flowers flew around in a dazzling interpretation of Michelangelo's work on the Sistine Chapel. Champagne was chilling on large tables to the side with food from all corners of the globe. Music was provided from a small orchestra in the corner of the dance floor.

Ball gowns swirled around hypnotically, every person in the room mimicking a dance they had practiced in finished school. Jewels gleamed from the throats of every female guest while the men's slick hair glistened from the oil applied.

Hamilton was enjoying every moment as the centre of the attention. He stood at the bottom of the stairs with a champagne flute in his hands, laughing with the other politicians and businessmen as if he understood the jokes that were coming out of their mouths. He looked over at the stairs, noting the light coloured dresses of the women walking inside, but the darkness caught his eye, and the woman walking down the steps certainly wanted to be noticed in her dark dress and raven hair, looking like death's concubine rather than a noble.

The eyes stood out in a crowd. Her royal blue irises held a million tiny white lights that looked like stars. Every step she took echoed through his mind, her dark lips twisting cruelly on her face. Hamilton took a deep breath and coughed, hearing her dark voice inside his mind, the icy tone of her words as a million languages spoke to him all at once, and each of them were speaking of death.

* * *

Gabriel Van Helsing darted down the street. The sensation of Morgan had not left the street left, her scent still hanging thick in the air. He could feel the enchantments all around him, growing stronger as he reached the address he had read so many times on the invitation before hand. He looked over at the steady procession of men and women into the home, watching from the darkened street corner. The security would be tough to crack, he knew that. But it had never stopped him before. He got into Dracula's castle unnoticed. To him, a London manor would be a walk in the park. He walked through the moving people, tilting his hat forward and disappearing into the crowd. Darkness swallowed him up and kept the men at the doors from noticing him skulk around the side of the house and look up at the windows where the lights danced off the walls.

He jumped up a slight distance and grabbed the window sill, pulling himself upward.

* * *

Morgan watched him approach her from across the room. She knew his face, the pale features of a man who had everything done for him since he was born. John Hamilton was a tall man, a slight bit lanky but it was hidden well with the suit he had chosen to wear. His nose was large and pointed at the tip with a small rectangular mustache sticking out underneath it, the edges of his facial hair curving around his small lips. His eyes were blue and glaring at her, daring her to make a move on him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked her, setting his champagne flute down on the table. Morgan smiled at him a little.

"I would have thought you'd be happy to see me, John." She said. His face was turning red. "Oh, come now, stop looking so angry. Surly you knew I would stop by one of these days."

"I was hoping He destroyed you."

"Actually it was the other way around." Morgan replied with the same cocky grin on her face. "It's funny how every other member of your 'order' thought the same thing. It seems that you were misinformed."

"Get out of here Morgan."

"You invited me, John." He tightened his fists. "Now do you want to end this here or should we take this somewhere more private?"

"You're leaving momentarily." He snapped his fingers to the men at the corners of the stairs. They approached them slowly, eyeing the situation carefully.

"One way or another, John, you're dying tonight and I'm taking that sword with me. Now, we can interrupt the party with a public display of your death, or you can show me to a place where I can take off your head in peace. It is your decision."

Hamilton was thinking hard. She could tell by his tightened muscles and clenched jaw. Every vein in his hand looked like it was going to pop out right then and there. It would have saved her the trouble from doing so later. He looked at the two guards and shook his head, sending them back to their posts. With a clenched jaw he looked back at Morgan, her smug appearance filling him with more rage.

"This way." He said, forgetting to offer his hand. Morgan didn't care. They walked past the dancers and past the businessmen at the bottom of the stairs and she reached to her breasts, feeling the pommel of her dagger held to her chest by the corset. She smiled once more when she felt the winds bring her back the news that Van Helsing was outside. Everything was going as she had planned.

* * *

Gabriel swung himself inside the open window, landing on the carpeted floor of the office and looking around. The open door allowed the light and the music of the ballroom to cast eerie shadows across the walls of the room, each dancer looking like a ghost or a demon, twirling to a haunting melody he had heard before. He walked quickly past the mahogany furniture, taking note of the thousands of swords that surrounded the walls of the room. Morgan's interest in weaponry was answered at the party, he knew that. He just had to find her and kill her before she killed the man she was here to do much the same to.

The hall outside the door stretched down to the right. He reached for the handle of his sword as the footsteps resonated from the stairs, the discomfited steps of Morgan in her corset and the quickened steps of a man taking her from the ballroom. They were silent to each other, walking by without caring to notice him at all.

He left the room when they had entered another, closing the door and locking it behind them. He cursed himself for not being quicker, but was once again hit with a flash of creativity as he went back to the room he had entered from.

* * *

Morgan watched him take the sword from the hooks it was placed on in the wall. She watched him draw it from the sheath, presenting it to her, displaying the blade with the pale blue glow to her angrily as she approached it. Her breath was slowed in its magnificence, the nineteenth blade to be added at last to her collection. She was within a foot of him before she placed a hand on the sheath, running her gloved fingers over it.

"I won't allow you to take it." He said, holding the sheath tightly, taking the handle in his hand.

"Your order is almost dead." She told him. "And they were all as predictable as you."

Morgan grabbed the dagger from her corset before he could draw his sword. His throat was slashed, his breaths nothing more than gargling noises as he collapsed to the ground, the sword held firmly in her gloved fist as the blood ran down her cheek and neck, trickling into her mouth.

The window shattered in a fury of black leather as Gabriel swung inside and dropped from his grappling gun. The shards of glass struck her skin, tiny fragments embedding themselves in her face and chest as he got up to his feet and drew his sword, watching her carefully.

"I see you didn't heed my warning."

"I hardly ever do."

"Pity…" She said, taking out the sword from the sheath, the blue glow growing brighter from her right hand's power. She tossed the sheath aside, wielding the weapon expertly while her hand twisted it so she could lower herself into a lunge. Gabriel charged her.

Their sword met, her blade pushing against his with other worldly force. She swung the dagger up past his face, the blur of movement causing him to spin backwards, facing her once again. She took the handle in both hands and moved in again.

It was her speed he found hard to keep up with. He made slashing actions to her sides while Morgan propped the blade vertically, parallel to her body and spun quickly, her skirt twirling around her body. The meeting of their swords caused sparks to fly from the areas of contact, dancing around her body and illuminating her pale skin until she appeared ghost like. His strength was greater than hers when she was distracted, and she found it hard to power her body with magical strength while he attacked.

He stayed close, swinging wildly but keeping his body closed to attack from both her dagger and sword. Every now and then she would grab the dagger from what appeared to be thin air, slashing his cheeks and opening wounds in his trench coat. Blood dripped from under his clothes. He swung once more, intending on taking her off from the torso up as she lifted her sword to cut downwards but missed when she jumped back and lowered her blade before charging forward and stabbing him straight through the shoulder.

He heard the crunch of bone as she pushed forward on the sword. Gabriel lifted his sword weakly to her, but she held the dagger at his throat, pushing it into the skin and drawing a tiny amount of blood at the tip of the blade. The lamplight flickered. Morgan glared at him, kicking his sword out of his hands before she twisted the handle on her own causing more bones to crack and break.

He growled loudly, reaching for her. Morgan yanked out the sword and swung it away from him making a long slash across his chest. He groaned again, unable to breathe from the ribs she had broken when she twisted her sword. She lifted the dagger up, preparing to bring it down on his head.

There was a pistol shot from the door. Morgan looked from Gabriel to the woman in the arch doors before snarling.

"This isn't over, angelus." She said before summoning the sheath to her as another bullet exploded from the gun. The wind rushed in from the window and swept her away to nothing.

The bullet struck the wall.

The woman brushed a lock of brown hair from her face, looking to Gabriel Van Helsing with a concerned look on her face. He struggled to breathe, coughing as blood filled his mouth.

"Who are you?" He asked, his eyes filling with darkness. The woman holstered the pistol and walked forward.

"My name is Mina Harker." She said. "And you are Van Helsing."

* * *

Author's Notes: As I mentioned before, I have not read Dracula. I have read the graphic novel by Alan Moore called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and that is my basis for the character of Mina. Please read anything by Alan Moore if you have the chance! He's phenomenal.

Oh yes, and Carl will be returning soon. And as a response to the review I got from Zed, it was my intention for Carl to have a back experience with faeries. But shhh! It's a secret.


	6. Link to the Past

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringement of copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Chapter 6: Link to the Past

_She was the first woman he laid eyes on, and in some ways she was the last. _

_ It was funny the way things had worked out. He arrived in Budapest the night of Vladislaus Dracula's annual Halloween Masquerade. It was ironic that he had laid eyes on the Count's escort for the evening, the beautiful blonde woman at his arm. Half her face was covered with a silver mask, small sapphires studded around the edges of the mask and diamonds near her eyes. Her eyes were covered in silver powder to match, melding the mask completely with her face. She was wearing a silver and white gown with angel wings attached to the back, walking down the stairs as if she were descending from heaven itself. _

_ He was entranced the moment he laid eyes on her, ignoring his host, the man at her side. All his attention was taken up by the angelic creature at his side. Vladislaus ignored him, greeting the public of his ballroom and introducing her to all the mingling groups around the dance hall. He overheard the introductions. Her name was Alice, a British woman whom Vlad had met on business to England and fallen madly in love with._

_ "Ah, Gabriel." He said, bringing the woman to him. She smiled sweetly as she curtseyed and lowered her head slightly, a lock of blonde curl tumbling into her face. Vlad smiled. "I suppose she has attracted your attention to. Gabriel Van Helsing I want to introduce Alice Daniels to you." _

_ "Pleasure to meet you." She said, offering her hand._

_ For a moment he was too stunned to move. Finally he took her gloved fingers in his hand, the soft silken gloves within his reach as her perfume filled his nostrils. She was intoxicating in her gown and wings, the epiphany of beauty and grace within his reach. He kissed the knuckles gently, still watching her from behind his black mask, his dark eyes meeting her own crystal ones as they found themselves lost in the moment._

_ "The pleasure is all mine." He said quietly, releasing her hand. She placed it at her waist, blushing almost crimson at him, shaking her head a little as Vlad laughed lowly to no one in particular. He saw the blood in her face and he too was obsessed with her immediately, but for completely different reasons._

_ "Vladislaus!" A voice beckoned him from the crowd. The Count turned to the dark haired woman summoning him, her red dress standing out in the crowd of mostly black, no more than Alice's, however. He smiled. _

_ "Excuse me." He said politely, bowing low. "An old friend my dear. Entertain her will you, Gabriel?" He drifted off into the crowd to the youthful dark haired woman, smiling at her as if they had not seen each other in many years. Van Helsing watched Alice, completely speechless. She too had nothing to say. He took a deep breath.  
"Would you care to dance?" He asked her. She smiled and nodded. _

_ "I would love to." She replied, taking his hands in hers, his black gloves clashing with her white ones. He felt like an ink blot, completely out of place and unnecessary to be standing so close to such a beautiful woman as the one who stood before him, her hand on his shoulder resting gently. She seemed so foreign to the ballroom, unsure of how to move or how to act without the Count resting at her arm. It took Alice a moment to get her tongue working again._

_ "Your accent is foreign, Mr…"_

_ "Van Helsing." He added. "Gabriel Van Helsing." She nodded. "I am actually from London but I'm here on business with Count Dracula."_

_ "What kind of business?"_

_ "Finances."_

_ "Are his finances in danger?" The dialogue was back and forth, something he found refreshing for a woman in a day and age when they were neither respected nor heard out. Gabriel often found them fascinating to listen to._

_ "No." He replied. "They're immaculate actually."_

_ "I see." She continued dancing with him but they really weren't moving very far. Vlad was still on the other side of the ballroom with his dark haired friend. The pangs of jealousy were evident in his companion's stare. Alice seemed hurt by his attentions for the other woman. She grew closer to him in a response to it. "How long have you and Count Dracula worked together?"_

_ "Our work began just recently." She nodded, listening intently, except for the brief moments that her attention was taken from him by the concern for the Count, watching him and another woman talking in hushed voice across the ballroom. She slowed, looking at him now._

_ "I apologize, Mr. Van Helsing, but I must go. Thank you for the dance." She said._

_ He watched her leave the ballroom. He felt the pangs of jealousy consume him. Count Dracula was getting a woman he didn't deserve._

* * *

He was suddenly regretting waking up. The unconscious world had numbed his senses down to a point where he could actually breathe without gasping for breath. He could actually function in his painless stupor. The second he emerged from the waters of sleep he found that the wound on his shoulder was causing his lungs to stop cooperating and his whole body to freeze up in pain. His legs were stiff and almost dragging limply underneath him, and Gabriel found he was thankful for the support he was receiving since his injury from Morgan.

Mina Harker, as she had introduced herself, was pulling him along with his left arm slung over her slender shoulders, holding him up and off the street. Her heels tapped on the cobblestone softly, the sound dulled by the thick skirt that covered them. He looked over at her, getting a catch of her scent, the elegant aroma of her perfume filling his nostrils.

She was fairly young, more than likely in her mid twenties. Her hair was thick and brown, half of it hanging loosely down her back in limp curls while the other half was pinned up in a twisted knot that was steadily tumbling down her shoulders and curling around her neck. She too had chosen to wear black, her gown much more primitive than Morgan's ornate beaded frock. She was wearing a long coat much like his only with a wider collar that provided perfect space for the gray embroidery there. He couldn't tell the design from his position against her side, but he could only assume the thousands of shapes it could be. About her neck was a long black scarf that covered her throat completely from clavicle to her chin.

"Where are we going?" He asked. The look that appeared on her face when he spoke told him she hadn't noticed that he was awake. She looked a little shocked, moving her eyes from him to the road ahead of her.

"My home." She replied. "You will be able to rest there for as long as you need." He tried to get control of his legs and feet to stand once again but found that he could not, and they hung uselessly from him. "Relax, Mr. Van Helsing, I assure you I do not wish to harm you. I wish to return a favour which you graciously showed upon me years ago."

"Do we know each other?" He had to ask. Mina nodded.

"It was long ago." She added, looking at him once again. His appearance was strange to her, but she could never forget that face. She looked at the sunken cheeks and the dark hair and knew it was Van Helsing. "It is strange that you cannot remember."

"It's become a common occurrence with me." He replied, breathing rapidly and painfully as his ribs cracked against one another. Mina stopped and listened to them for a moment and she sighed deeply.

"It is a very bad injury." She said, running her gloved fingers over the bloodied shirt. He jerked back from her touch, causing the bones to crack further. Gabriel winced slightly, finding himself relaxing against her a little more. Mina nodded to herself and quickened her pace. "My home is not very far from here." She reassured him, pulling him along with a quickened pace. He felt his chest explode into agony, his breathing constricted more so.

"So we know each other?" He asked her, trying to stay awake. Unconsciousness was creeping up on him once more. She nodded and stopped in front of a stone step. He looked at what he could only assume to be her home. It was a tall building made on stone once again, not nearly as furnished as Morgan's but it seemed to suit Mina fine. She lowered him gently against the wall being very careful of his injury before she grasped a skeleton key from a pocket in her coat and slid it into the door.

She swung the knob roughly a few times, her strength finally being displayed as the door swung open very quickly. Mina looked back at him.

"

She swung the knob roughly a few times, her strength finally being displayed as the door swung open very quickly. Mina looked back at him.

"You were a great assistance to myself and my husband." She said, lifting him up on her shoulder again and patiently awaiting him to come up the step and into her house. "Slowly and gently, Mr. Van Helsing." She urged, much with the air of a mother speaking to her infant child. Gabriel would have commented on this but he could scarcely breathe. "That was years ago. How is it that you came to forget?"

"I can't remember."

"Fair enough." She replied, closing the door behind them and locking it tightly with three locks: one on the handle, one just above it with a linked chain, and the third a large dead bolt. _Paranoid?_He thought, his chest compressing on itself slowly. The wound was starting to crush his lungs.

Mina didn't seem too worried about it. She looked up at her long line of mahogany stairs and the living room nearby.

"Can you walk up the stairs, Mr. Van Helsing?"

"Probably not."

"Very well." She replied, leading him to the left of the door from the hallway all the rooms on the main level were attached to. He found her house comfortable if anything, the sort of home one with small amounts of money had. There were odd decorations about the house, some hanging on the walls with drawings and sketches. Inside the living room there were two very expensive looking couches surrounded by tables of scientific glass ware. On every wall there was a large book shelf filled with books on anything and everything. He noted famous English philosophers and infamous scientists making up her library.

Mina eased him down and onto the couch, allowing him to rest most of his weight on her and not seeming to mind at all. She was surprisingly strong for her size and despite being at least fours inches shorter she was able to carry him from Hamilton's home to her own.

Gabriel could not even remember how they got out of Hamilton's house. He remembered Mina walking in and inspecting his wounds, speaking in a voice that he could have understood if his body wasn't so far in shock. She then lifted him from the floor with his good arm and darkness carried them away before he woke on the street, staring down at the rain covered cobblestones.

"Who are you working for now, Mr. Van Helsing?" She asked him, lighting several lamps around the room and setting them around the couch on the tables there. He let his head loll back on the couch, his eyes closing again as his whole body relaxed against the soft violet cushions of her home. Mina pulled off her coat and dropped it over a chair back before searching through her equipment.

Gabriel wanted to remember this woman. He wanted to know under what circumstances they met and what transpired between them. For all he knew, he could have been the husband she spoke about. He drifted into unconscious for what he thought was a moment, finding himself awoken by her voice only moments later.

"Mr. Van Helsing?" She asked him. He blinked, opening his eyes and allowing them to refocus slowly as he face came into view. Mina slowly tugged on the collar of his coat. "I will need to take a look at your wounds."

"They'll be fine." He assured her. He was still unsure of how deep their trust went. Dracula remembered him but it didn't mean they were on good terms. Mina sighed deeply.

"I swear to you I will not hurt you further. Our past relationship would never condone such an action." She said to him, trying to ease his distrust of her. "Now if you would please allow me to help you I can dress this and if you can leave if you wish, but it would go against my morals to allow you to wander through the streets of London with broken ribs."

Gabriel breathed as deeply as he could. The wound on his right shoulder made his head swim as oxygen was lost within his body. He reached his left hand up and began working the coat off his body, allowing Mina to take over the rest as she slid it down his arm. He lifted himself to help her, pushing his left arm back to his side.

His wound stretched and cracking was heard beneath the skin. Gabriel hesitated as he winced in real, visible pain. Mina was careful, her hands steady as she pulled off the jacket from his left arm and set it over the other couch.

"You're lucky Morgan didn't hit anywhere else." She said, taking up a pair of long and thin scissors from where she had set them on the couch. Her hands traced over the stab wound, the blood running down his chest and almost at his waist by then. "She has the unfortunate tendency to murder off the men that she keeps company with."

"I've noticed." He said, remembering the body on John Hamilton on the ground, lying in a pool of his own blood. Mina began to cut away at his shirt, giving herself a clear area to work with. "What were you doing there?"  
"The same as you." She replied, peeling the fabric from his skin. The blood had already begun to scab and caused some minor pulling on his skin. When she reached the wound it caused more blood to flow out. Mina seemed prepared with everything though, taking a square of thick gauze off the arm of the couch and pressing it down to stop the bleeding. His intercostals muscles contracted painfully once again and another crack was heard. "I have been hunting her since she arrived in London, watching her in her home, buying her time away while she conducts her murders."

She made several more cuts near his neck, eyeing his throat carefully. He caught her looking and reached up for her hand, stopping her for a moment. She locked her eyes with his, swallowing hard before pulling her fingers from his and peeled away the gray fabric that covered the slash from the dagger. She clenched her teeth, eyeing the severity of it.

"She's stealing the swords." Mina added.

"I know." Gabriel replied. "Why?"  
"Well…" Mina began, pressing several more pieces of gauze into the wounds. Van Helsing tightened his eyelids together and breathed heavily from the pain and heat radiating from the open skin. Her fingers were gently but any physical contact around it seemed to set it off again quickly causing more white hot pain to race up his neck and into his mouth. "I've been trying to find out why precisely she takes the swords." She continued speaking as she pressed the gauze firmly into place before grabbing a needle and roll of thread off the couch arm. He watched her with his glazed eyes, the oil lamp she lit and it made his eyes burn and water more. He looked away as she threaded the needle.

"The swords are completely random weapons and yet she chooses them very carefully." Mina explained, pinning the needle into the couch before reaching over to the couch arm once again, bringing up the small vial in her fingers and shaking the clear liquid a little. Gabriel breathed raggedly, watching her insert a needle into the closed end of the vial and fill it with the watery fluid.

"What is that?"

"Morphine." She replied. "It's home made but I'm sure it will have the same effect." The needle was filled with a small amount of the sedative before she noticed that he was shaking his head.

"I'm fine." Mina nodded, but kept the needle filled anyways. She continued talking as she removed a piece of gauze from his neck and brought the needle to the wound.

"The people she kills are famous collectors." She began stitching the open flaps of skin back together. He felt the needle puncture the skin and the thread pulled through after. "They also speak of some kind of order they belong to." She pushed the needle through the other open flap of skin and professionally continued. Gabriel hissed, glancing over at the filled syringe but opted against it. He needed to stay awake.

"Each of the men has a strange tattoo on their bicep." She said, her fingers dancing in front of Gabriel's face as the blood covered thread was pulled in view of his eyes. The wound was screaming now, blood oozing from the cracks in the stitches and dripping down his chest a little. She swore under her breath and reached over to the table, snatched up the deep metal dish filled with water. It steamed a fair bit and smelled strange. She dipped the gauze into the water and held it over the section she had already stitched. His back arched when the burning water hit his shoulder. Mina set the water on the floor, hushing him gently with her hand on his shoulder.

"Shh…" She told him, running her cool fingers over his cheek for a moment. He breathed shakily and allowed his muscles to relax, the water cooling slowly. Mina removed it from the wound and organized the two threads that hung from his chest. Gabriel closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on anything except the agony of his chest.

"The tattoo is in the shape of a dragon," She began, "With a crucifix near its mouth and a circle beneath its feet."

Gabriel thought hard about it. He tried to picture what she described to him as he opened his eyes and blinked again, his eyes running with hot tears from keeping them tightly closed. Mina moved down the length of the cut already made. She looked from Gabriel to the needle of morphine that was on the couch but hesitated, not allowing her self to go against his wishes.

_He's in pain, Mina_. She sighed deeply. Gabriel lifted his head as high as it would go.

"I've seen that shape before." He told her. Mina stared at him. "I know I have."

"I find that easy to believe." She told him. "It's the symbol of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table."

"No, it wasn't in a book. I remember seeing it on a flag."

Mina's eyes narrowed. He could have been dreaming but she trusted he wasn't.

"How could you have? They are a legend from the 1100's and never seen again in England after Arthur's alleged death?" Gabriel shrugged.

"I don't know." He said.

"You can remember a flag but you cannot remember recent memories within your own century?" Gabriel shook his head, swallowing hard. Mina was suddenly very interested in him now. As a scientist and as an old friend she was very interested in Gabriel Van Helsing.

* * *

Author's Notes: I apologize if Mina is a bit OOC. I am not using Bram's original story for her character as I mentioned previously. Instead I'm using Alan Moore's interpretation of her character. Carl will be returning shortly, more than likely within the next two chapters. All Carl fans must simply wait with baited breath for Gabriel to get a little TLC from Mina for a bit.

Oh, and I was meaning to ask: How many would have great objections to Mina being paired with Gabriel? I'd love some thoughts on the issue.


	7. Recovery

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

* * *

Chapter 7: Recovery

Mina Harker shook herself awake as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the crack in the curtains. It came to rest on her side, the light causing her black gown to fade to a pale gray in an instant, the shadows on either side as dark as ink. Her corset was pasted to her skin from sweat and she found it impossible to breathe as she sat up and struggled to do so, her heart pounding for air. She reached a hand back to the buttons on the back of the dress, standing up quickly as she yanked them undone and frantically moved her fingers down the strings of her bindings. She fumbled with the bow for a moment before she finally yanked it hard enough to undo it. Shaking, she pulled at either side of it and drank in the sweet air hungrily, eyes closed as she let her mouth hang open and bring oxygen into her body again and again.

_I cannot believe I fell asleep with this bloody thing on,_ she thought, still breathing rapidly. Her mind was reeling, playing back the events of the evening. She turned quickly to the second couch and found Gabriel Van Helsing there, still asleep, his face twisting every now and then from whatever nightmare he was trapped in at the present. Mina's heart slowed, recalling something about a trip to her cellar. Her questions were answered when she eyed the bowl of melted ice on the table. _Yes, that's it. I went down to the cellar to get some ice._ She looked at the mess of bandages and blood on her table, finding her hands covered in his bodily fluids. The red streaks were traced over her face from her sleeping on them. She wiped them off on her skirt quickly and licked her fingers, rubbing them on her face to remove the blood quickly.

Her patient was still sleeping soundly enough. Earlier in the night his temperature had risen slightly and his dreams became much more violent. She found the morphine still on the table, the same amount she remembered filling the syringe with the night before. Scattered about in her sleeping area were papers sticking wildly out of the book she had been reading, a pen lying on the table from the notes she had scrawled in her research. Mina grabbed the copy of King Arthur and slammed it on her papers, tossing it aside on the table with her chemistry set. Her attention turned back to Gabriel.

But the couch was empty. Where he had once been there remained only the couch indentations of his legs and head on the arm rest, and they too were slowly disappearing. She listened carefully, turning around the room slightly as she found him, a hand grabbing her mouth while another gripped an arm and pulled it up and behind her back. Mina's body went rigid as she felt his breathing by her ear, feeling the pain of his injuries from his ragged breath. But his heart was steady, constantly at one pace.

"Who are you?" He asked her, his voice deep and dark. She felt his hand loosen on her mouth. She answered honestly.

"Mina Harker."

"Where am I?"

"My home. I brought you here last night. You were injured by Morgan le Faye."

The grip on her arm loosened. Mina turned slowly to face him, his face inches from hers. He was taller than her, something she hadn't noticed the night before or the time when they previously met. She had once worn heels though, and she assumed that was the reason she had not noticed a large difference in height.

Gabriel breathed through his nostrils, wincing slightly at the feeling in his chest.

"How long have I been asleep?" He asked her, backing away a little from the sun in his eyes. His legs were trembling slightly from his weight, oxygen unable to move in his lungs much from the injury to his ribs. Mina offered her hand to him but he ignored her.

"Only a few hours. You lost consciousness not long after I had finished stitching the slash she gave you on your upper chest." Gabriel found some comfort in that thought, still not trusting the woman he was now indebted to for his life. Mina watched him start to falter on his legs, shifting his weight uncomfortably. She no longer offered her arm. She reached for his instead, demanding that she assist him.

Gabriel refused, walking to the couch she had been sleeping on instead and dropped down onto it. Mina came to him and moved to the table, moving through the instruments she had used the night before and began to clean up. He was obviously in a better condition than she would have thought him to be in.

He had never once remembered feeling so weak. Even when he had first woke in the care of the Vatican he had never felt so utterly spent. Every muscle was trembling and aching from the stress of being tensed as he slept. Every breath felt like his last, as if at any moment his whole rib cage would break and collapse. He closed his eyes and breathed as deep as he could without causing himself too much pain.

Mina's footsteps left the room for a moment before she returned with a glass of water in her hand. She gave it to him.

"You should drink some of that. You're probably dehydrated." He looked from the water to his hostess. Mina's eyes refused to leave him, willing him to drink it instead of simply hold it. Gabriel watched her as he drank it down, the liquid causing his throat to cool and ease to normal once more. The raw surface burned from the cold water and his stomach tied itself in knots when it hit it. Mina took the glass away when she was satisfied he had drank enough of it.

"You have two strange masses of scar tissue on your back." She said out of nowhere, the conversation made to sound casual. To Gabriel it was not. His back held the only two scars that never faded. He shot his eyes to her but she missed them, too busy cleaning up the mess she had made the night before. She picked up the bloodied fabric she had cut from his shirt and wrapped them in a large ball in her hand. "I did not mean to pry. I discovered them when I was stitching up the wound on your back. They appear as if they have bones and joints beneath them."

He was silent, not wanting to delve into the conversation further. "I can't remember where they're from. I awoke with them."  
"You have forgotten many things, Mr. Van Helsing." She said to him. "It is a shame you cannot remember our meeting."

Gabriel was quiet. He closed his eyes, trying to recall when they had first met. Mina watched him silently, turning away.

"Although there are some things better left forgotten." Gabriel looked back at her. She walked from the room.

* * *

_ He awoke with a start, sitting straight up in the small cot he was lying in, and immediately he was screaming._

_ There was an unconscious loss he was feeling. It wasn't the pain from his back, although it added to the growing pain within his body. The rest was emotional. It made his heart ache and his throat constrict, a growing lump in his esophagus. He reached his hands to his back, feeling the soft bandages running around his bare chest and over his spine. He stopped his cry of pain only to breathe heavily, satisfying his racing heart rate and shaking body. Hot tears moved down his face, finding their way to his chin as he tried to remember. He tried to remember anything but found only darkness in his mind. _

_ There was nothing left of who he once was. Every bit of his life had been stolen from him, ripped from him and carried away to a place he could not reach. He heard footsteps outside the door to his right and he frantically stood up and hopped from the cot before falling onto the floor. His legs refused to hold him upright. They were limp and weakened from his bedridden state. _

_ How long had he been there? And for that matter, where the hell was he?_

_ He could tell quickly that the simple furnishings and the crucifix on the wall denoted an area of faith. The bed was soft but primitive, stuffed with just enough feathers to keep him comfortable. The night table he found above his was filled with odd tools he had glanced at before he had fallen off the bed._

_ The door opened as a red robed man walked in, a skulking friar at his side. He got to the edge of the bed, pulling himself up as far as he could. The two men stopped short._

_ "Good God he is alive."_

_ "Stop staring, Carl." The red robed Cardinal ordered. "Help me."_

_ "Stay away from me. Where the hell am I?"_

_ "You see, he doesn't want to be helped." The friar said innocently, hunched over. The Cardinal rolled his eyes. _

_ "I would ask that you not swear inside the house of God." The Cardinal said calmly. "I realize you must have a lot of questions."_

_ "Tell me where I am."_

_ "The Vatican, in Rome, Italy."_

_ That didn't make sense. He furrowed his brow in confusion. There were a million questions on his mind._

_ "Who are you?"_

_ "I am Cardinal Jinette of the Knights of the Holy Order. This is Carl." The small friar gave a small wave. "May I ask what your name is?"_

_ Good question, he thought. Come on, you must know your name. It's a simple question. Everyone knows their name._

_ "I don't know." He answered in disbelief. "I don't know."_

_ There was an awkward silence in the room. He closed his eyes and tried to remember. "I don't know." He said again, feeling himself hurt once again. He released his hold on the bed, sliding back onto the floor. He was ignoring the pain in his back by then, eyes closed in disbelief. He couldn't remember his name. He couldn't remember his age. He couldn't remember anything about himself. _

_ Jinette moved around the bed, kneeling down to him on the other side. His eyes were still closed. At first, the Cardinal thought he had lost consciousness, but his mouth opened and he spoke again after much thought._

_ "Gabriel." He said. "My name is Gabriel Van Helsing."_

* * *

Morgan slammed the sword upon the circular table in her bedchamber, the whole pile of metal weapons striking each other with a sound that made her ears ring afterwards. Her council let out shrill shrieks of fear for their mistress's rage, some scampering off to her castle and other waiting around, moaning and crying with pain for their deity. She stormed through her room and threw over furniture with her power, angry at herself.

_That blasted Mina Harker_, she thought to herself, running to the window and opening it wide. She gave off a scream into the night that caused lights to go on and children to cry. Lightning flashed in the distance and danced through the sky before she slammed the window shut and caused the weather to go back to normal. _That blasted Gabriel Van Helsing. I'll kill them both before I leave London. I swear to it that they will not live to see another day._

She stormed down the hall to her library and slammed the door. The books were filled with unlimited knowledge and all she had to do was look. Morgan grabbed the first off her desk, the page opened to the Latin references to the Left Hand of God, the arch angel Gabriel. She smiled at the picture. _I suppose I'll just have to find out more about you, Gabriel Van Helsing. _ She slammed the book shut and threw it across the room, scattering the old pages across the floor and through the air. She extended her right hand and struck the book with blue lightning that extended from her fingers. The book crumpled to the floor in a cloud of dust, and only then did Morgan relax, dropping her arm to her side and leaving it alone.

_You'll soon be as dead as your story, Gabriel_, she vowed. _As will your old friend Mina Harker_.

* * *

"You're healing unnaturally quickly, Mr. Van Helsing." Mina said, running the wet cloth over his back. The mess of stitches was covered in the lavender water. Every time she moved it his back twitched and various muscles tightened. He gripped the couch material beside him, his injuries still paining him as she cleaned them.

"I always have." Gabriel hissed as she ran the wet rag over the stitches. The water seeped between the flaps of skin and stung terribly. It was as if a million bees were stinging the singular area of his back. He groaned. Mina stopped for a moment, dipping the rag back into the warm water near the couch. She came back up and dabbed more water onto the gash.

She took a moment to look at the lumps of scar tissue on his now bare back. He had removed his shirt entirely at her promise of a new one.

"Mr. Harker is dead." She confessed unquestioned, simply to keep their conversation going. Talking to him had comforted her once and it was doing so once more even though he could not remember her. Van Helsing looked over his shoulder at her. He already had an idea that there was no Mr. Harker.

"He was killed years ago." She continued, washing the open skin further. "I wanted you to know."

"I'm sorry." Gabriel said to her. "I wish I could remember."  
"You must be able to remember something." She pressed him, aggravated that he truly did not recall anything.

"I can remember certain things."

"Like what?"

Gabriel stopped himself. What could he remember?

"I can remember fighting the Romans at Masada." It was one of the first that he mentioned. It was becoming clearer over the years. "I can remember riding through Europe in the Crusades and fighting against the Celtic armies in England." Mina was uneasy about the conversation. She wrung out the cloth and dropped it into the water, grabbing a fresh roll of bandages from the table. Gabriel's eyes slid shut lazily, looking back at the fragments of memory he had gathered. "I remember killing, mainly."

Mina was silent, pressing the bandage on top of the wound before rolling the bandages over his back and down to his side. She slid her hand around his front. Gabriel remembered her for a moment, the memory nothing but a flash, but enough to calm his nerves. She was speaking to him worriedly, asking him if Jonathan was insane. He opened his eyes at the memory, feeling her tighten the bandages enough to keep the bleeding at a halt.

"You arrived in England to help a friend of mine." She began speaking. Gabriel wanted to stop her but couldn't bring himself to do it. He was torn between a life that he could depend on and a life he had no control over. He could be a killer in his past life. He could have been a murderer of innocent people. There was no telling what or who he was before the Vatican found him. Mina could see that he was visibly uncomfortable. "I'll stop if you wish me too."

Gabriel did not reply. She slid onto the couch next to him and stood up.

"Perhaps another time." She said. "Are you hungry?"

* * *

Author's Notes: It's a little short I realize, but I have wanted to post for a few days. I thought I should explain my reasoning behind Gabriel's little conversation with Mina. I wanted to display that he could feel their trust from long ago in a small sense. If I delved too deep into his life that he became OOC, please tell me in a review. Thank you very much!

Oh, and Carl will be returning in the next chapter.


	8. New Information

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringement of copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Chapter 8: New Information

Mina opened the curtains in the bedroom. Gabriel looked around at the ancient room. It looked as if it hadn't been touched in years. Dust had settled on every surface, regardless of whether or not it was flat or slanted. Books and papers were piled on the desks and the bed while dresses were tossed in a heap at the bottom of the wardrobe along with men's shirts and trousers. She smiled a little embarrassed at the state of her room.

"I don't see the need in cleaning it. I apologize. However, all my husband's clothes are here in the wardrobe and I'm certain you're the same size." She waltzed over to the wardrobe, sneaking around the rays of sunlight carefully before pulling open the dark oak doors of the wardrobe.

He couldn't believe what he saw inside. The state of the room clashed terribly with the wardrobe. Inside the wardrobe hung several suits and dresses, the ones that he could never see a woman like Mina wear. The gowns inside were like Morgan's, beaded with jewels and lace. They hung with corsets that matched them, also ornately decorated with precious stones and metal links. She pushed past them, digging into the back where she found several dress shirts. They were only white, but she yanked out a black one before slamming the wardrobe quickly so he couldn't look inside anymore.

"This one should do." She said, walking to him and handing it to him. Gabriel took it, finding it still soft and starched as if someone still washed them. He looked from it to Mina who watched him, lost in a daze of some kind. She came back to herself a moment later. "Oh, sorry. I'll leave." She walked past him, out of the room and into the hall, closing the door behind her softly.

Gabriel felt odd wearing shirts that belonged to a dead man, and not only that, the dead husband of his hostess while walking around in her house. He pulled off the cut up shirt carefully, barely moving his left arm to avoid aggravating the chest wound. He had started breathing a little easier but it still hurt enough to make him wheeze if he moved too aggressively. He set it on the ground and pulled on the other, sliding it up his arm with his right hand and bringing it to his shoulder.

Mina watched through the crack in the door. She turned away when he had the shirt on and felt her heart pound. It was like having Jonathan back in the house for a few moments, hearing him upstairs at his desk working on paperwork while she whiled away in her living room converted to a science lab. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and walked quickly and quietly away from the door.

* * *

Carl didn't know how he would find Van Helsing in the bustling city. He was certain he had come to the right place. The fragments of newspaper had rumours of Van Helsing's involvement in a murder of a wealthy businessman the night before. Carl shook his head and rolled hi eyes, mumbling something about how the Knights of the Holy Order were not going to be impressed if Gabriel had killed an innocent bystander. He tossed aside the paper fragments to the street and pressed onward, giving frightened looks around every corner as he walked. He was beginning to wish had simply come on Gabriel's mission from the beginning instead of being defenseless in the alleys of London's White Chapel District.

He led his small pony as quick as he could through the streets, constantly thinking to himself, "_If I were a somewhat crazed monster killer where would I hide?"_ He crossed the Thames River and came across to the 'safer' district, finding the houses around him taller and more elegant than the disgusting mess of residential and industrial area the prostitutes were forced into. He could breathe easily finally, sauntering through the streets as he looked around for Gabriel.

The Vatican hadn't been very specific when they talked about his location. They knew he was in London but could not give Carl an address or a place of meeting. Wiring Van Helsing, they told him, "Was completely impossible once he was out in the field." And often times, Van Helsing would, "Never obey the orders given to him by the Vatican anyways," but that could have been Cardinal Jinette's version of humour. He did walk off with a small smile in his lips, something Carl had never seen on his superior since he began working there.

Carl had given his life to the church before he had the chance to land himself in any more trouble than he had already gotten into. Even as a teenager he was fascinated with inventions. He created strong electrical currents directly to his room through weather vanes and used storms to provide the power for his experiments. He was an avid reader as well, something that didn't work well with his easy access to extremely dangerous chemicals. After the second cat went missing his parents told him to find something useful to do and not to return until he did. What he stumbled across at only 18 was the Vatican and the Knights of the Holy Order who were looking for one who could manipulate potentially dangerous chemicals without injuring anyone. He had at least one part of the criteria down. It was the latter part he always had trouble with.

His first partnership was with the Vatican's original monster hunter, Malachi Porter. Malachi was not equally as violent as Van Helsing tended to be. Unlike Gabriel most of his subjects were brought back alive and well, kept forever in the prisons within the Vatican for study in the field. Carl had never seen such prisons, but some priests would tell him later that Malachi's beasts ranged from werewolves to vampires, some as powerful as Elizabeth Bathory (although these just turned out to be rumours).

It was a large change to be place with Van Helsing. He was one of the friars who were placed watching the half dead form of Gabriel when he had been found by the Vatican and brought back to life. It was his luck to be violently assaulted by the delirious patient on one of his first watches, a reason for being very cautious around him after that When Gabriel finally did come back to them he forgot the whole incident and Carl never spoke about it.

That was just the first change. The second change came when Gabriel returned from his first mission. He told Carl to give him more bullets this time, a request Malachi had never carried out. The third and largest change was when Carl asked him about his subject Gabriel confessed that it was dead. The second shock came when Gabriel confessed that he was the one responsible for the death.

The shock had been too much for poor Carl. He realized that things would be very different, and he was very right. He became accustomed to Gabriel never returning the weapons he had used due to technical malfunctions they had sustained in the line of duty or another well verbalized but highly trivial reason they were in terrible condition when they were handed back to him. Carl groaned loudly when he discovered the cross bow he had made for Van Helsing was rusted following his mission in Transylvania. It would take him weeks to get rid of the rust.

But Gabriel disappearing had not become a usual occurrence to him by that point in time. He certainly had had a habit of doing so (especially when he was in heaps of trouble for killing off something the Vatican had not necessarily wanted killed at all), but to Carl it was just a part of being Van Helsing, the greatest monster killer the Vatican ever had.

He turned around a corner and looked down the street before stopping, finding his search irritating. He groaned loudly, commenting quietly, "You certainly know how to stay hidden don't you Mr. Van Helsing?"

Carl sauntered down the street, driven by his instinct alone. He never thought it was the best plan to follow his instinct (as it often landed him in heaps of trouble), but he figured it was one of the best ways to track down Van Helsing without shouting his name out continuously.

The tall houses her walked by happened to provide him with some luck however. He stopped short and tightened his grip on his pony's reigns before turning back the other way.

The door opened to his left and a dark haired man looked out in the street.

"Carl?" He asked. The friar smiled. _Well, I suppose I'll have to trust my instincts from now on_.

* * *

"The Vatican asked me to bring you a message." He said, pulling it free from the bags of weapons he had also had the time to cart along. Mina blew out the match she had used to light the oil lamp nearby, watching Gabriel and his short sidekick talking. Van Helsing ripped open the wax seal preventing Carl from looking inside and unfolded the thick parchment paper that was handwritten in Cardinal Jinette's own writing.

"Van Helsing,

"The news of the recent murder in London has just reached the Vatican. I have sent Carl along to assist, even though I am sure that you will not fail. He has brought a new weapon from the Vatican that may help you in your mission. Do not allow her to kill anyone else."

He was the only one in the Vatican who did not sign his letters. He would leave the crest from his ring in a circle of wax at the bottom of the page but nothing more. The symbol of the cross with the x-shape behind it was a sure way to tell whether or not Jinette had sent the message. Gabriel folded the letter up and handed it back to Carl.

"He says you have another weapon for me to try?" Carl's eyes lit up as if he was a child on Christmas and he darted back to his bags saying, "Yes, yes, of course. That was what it was about." He flipped open the thick sack and pulled out a thinly bladed dagger, sheathed in a black leather casing with silver bands surrounding it. Carl handed it to him quickly and giddily waited for Van Helsing to draw it so he could show him more.

"Some of my best work yet, under short notice." He said, Gabriel pulling it from the sheath. The blade started humming a high pitched song, resonating in Van Helsing's ears. Carl proceeded to reach for it, pointing out new features. "The blade has a new core made of some of the strongest metal ever found. It is completely unbreakable." Gabriel looked a little unimpressed. "That's the problem with you. Nothing ever surprises you. But there is one new feature I know will make you happy. If you push the pommel…" Carl tapped the end of the hilt and the blade split into three parts, fanning out wildly. Gabriel nearly had his wrist cut off, and Mina stood up quickly, shocked by the sound the blades made when they broke apart. Carl didn't seem to mind.

"It's also light weight and easy to carry around." He said as he hit the pommel again which drew the blades back together. He took it from Gabriel and sheathed it once more.

"Also…" Carl began, digging through the bag. "I brought along a few things which explain some things about Morgan's conviction with swords."

"Do you know where she's heading next?" Mina asked, suddenly interested.

"Well I didn't say that it was that specific." He replied, pulling some books and heavy texts out of the bag. "But I do know a little more about what we're looking for."

"Go ahead Carl." He said.

"Very well." Carl replied. "It all started in the thirteenth century when Morgan killed off Merlin to achieve her role as most powerful sorceress in the world." He opened the heavy leather bound book and pointed to a picture hand drawn by a monk in the fourteenth century that depicted Merlin being impaled upon a glowing sword with a black haired woman behind the hilt and controlling the blade. Mina stared at it, furrowing her brow a little as Gabriel stared in wonder. Carl continued. "You see, Merlin was the most powerful at the time, even though she was the Queen of the Faeries. He was the only one who could make the claim that he could possibly bring people back from the dead-which is a feat that no others during the time and after could make." Carl flipped the pages back to the portrait of Morgan in a glade as Faerie wings sprouted from her back. In front of her was a man standing as if in a trance by her beauty.

"Now, Morgan had power of sorcery before hand. Her family lineage can be traced back to some of the greatest sorceresses in England before Arthur." Carl moved his fingers up the family tree he had flipped to, the name at the top being names Gabriel could only assume were simply theory. They were old Celtic names and all of the birthed children were females. He stopped at the bottom at Morgan's name, next to the name Morgause.

"Now, pressing on…" He said, flipping forward. "Morgan was nearly killed in her attack upon Merlin, but she had assumed all of his power."

"Hold on for a second Carl." Gabriel said. "How did she kill the most powerful magician in the world?"

"Honestly Mr. Van Helsing I was getting to that. She used the sword Excalibur if you must know." Carl said, grabbing another book and flipping through it, not finding the page the first time and having to do it an additional three times before he finally found what he was looking for. Mina looked over at Van Helsing, lost for a moment in her husband's shirt before Carl opened to the picture of the sword Excalibur.

"There we are." He said. His fingers moved to the Latin inscription around the side. "It seems that Excalibur's power rested in the sheath, however, a power which Morgan sought to reclaim when she became the Queen of the Faeries."

"What sort of power?" Gabriel asked.

"Wounds would never bleed." Mina added quickly before Carl could do so. He turned and glared at her. "I apologize. Continue."

"Anyways…" Carl said, pressing on pleasantly. "The sword Excalibur lost all its power and was assimilated by Morgan. But the power over the sheath was lost forever."

"How?"

"I was getting to that Mr. Van Helsing." He grabbed the large volume to Celtic history again and opened it up to a two page sketch that was done in black ink. The woman with black hair stood on the shoreline, her face covered in a dark cloak but long curls fell out and over her shoulders. She looked as if she were reaching for something, namely the flying object floating over the lake she was standing next to.

_No, _Gabriel corrected himself. _She was throwing something_.

He noted the shape of the object and nodded.

"She disposed of the sheath?"

"To prevent her brother's use of it she stole it in the night and threw it into the lake for the Lady of the Lake to reclaim." Carl said. "Sort of ironic, really, since now she wishes for it to be hers."

"But Morgan is already immortal. She would have no use for the sheath." Mina interjected, drawing the attention back to her.

"No, she wouldn't." Carl added, emphasizing the word 'she'. "But there are many advantages to having such a tool. If it were broken into pieces the metal it's self could grant great power to the bearer. She could create an army of humans that could not bleed."

"So she wants to create a war?"

"Goodness no, Gabriel, where did you get an idea like that?"

"You said it, not me."

"No, I didn't. I said that she could, not that she was going to." Carl corrected him. "She already has an army of immortals. Bloody faeries…"

There was silence for a moment, Carl's last outburst making the two listeners fall silent. He shook his head and looked between the two. "Sorry about that. So…" He was back in the spirit of explaining things. "I assume both of you are wondering what this had to do with the stolen swords?"

"The thought crossed my mind once or twice." Gabriel added. Carl dropped the heavy leather volume down and reached into the bag, pulling out a faded bundle of papers marked with the symbol of the Pentacle.

"Where did you get those?" Gabriel asked, well aware that the church did not exactly support the honouring of animal deities any longer.

"The Vatican library." Carl replied. "It's amazing what you can find in there. These just happened to be sorted in the private section for the monks only."

"You went into the private section? Carl you're only a friar."

"Well no actually, I'm quite close to being a monk." Carl said causing Gabriel's brow to furrow in confusion. "These are ancient spells from Wales that were rewritten by the monks in the Vatican to be kept for future generations. Inside there is a spell originally written by Morgan." He set the others down, pieces through the bundle before pulling out a piece of paper written in swirled inscription, one that Carl seemed to be able to read quite well. Mina seemed to decipher that language too.

"That's the language of the Fey." She said in shock at the whole matter. "These papers were originally written before the tenth century."

"And not just any spell. This spell just so happens to bring people back from the dead."

* * *

Author's Notes: It's a little shorter than I intended. I have a lot of work to do so my next post will probably not be until the weekend. In the mean time, please talk to me about anything you find wrong with the story or that you are confused about. I tend to forget to write my reasoning behind things at the end of a chapter. Thank you!

Reviews:

**_Mandolin_**: It's unfortunate as well, but I too am waiting to get Volume 2. I have ordered it from Coles but it's on back order (we need a better book store in this town). I have seen the pictures on line and have decided whether or not Mina is still a vampire, but cannot release it at this time because I want for it to be a surprise. It's nice to hear that I made you wince, not because I'm sadistic or masochistic but just because I like hearing that my writing immerses people into the storyline.

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: The information about Gabriel's back will be revealed at another time. I hope you can wait!

**_J_**: Oops. I'm sorry I gave you the impression he was from London. I knew he wasn't English but I had no idea he was Dutch. Thank you for that information. I'll correct my writing to accommodate it. I better read Bram Stoker's novel too.

**_Tamako_**: I would never want to change Van Helsing! Thank you for commenting on his character. He doesn't trust many people and I felt that maybe he was revealing too much to Mina too quickly.

**_Shadowsage Hopesong_**: Yes, it is Mina Harker from LXG, originally in Bram Stoker's Dracula as Mina Murray (before she married Jonathan Harker who is mentioned ever so briefly at the beginning of this chapter). She may be a vampire, she may not be. I've left subtle hints along the way though. If you squint really hard you might find a few.

**_Celebfinwen_**: I wasn't sure how to spell Morgan le Fay(e). There's so many ways people spell it in books and in movies. I think that some even spell it Fey. It all depends on the writer. I'm used to spelling it Faye, but I'll take a look into the spelling before I change anything. Thank you for the hint though! Where did you get that spelling from, if I may ask?

In a response to your second review, I hope there is a second Van Helsing movie! And I hope that Van Helsing's past is revealed!  
**_Scholar_**: I hope Carl's return was well received. He is adorable isn't he?

**_Doodily Doo_**: I am happy that I made your day! It sucks to have bad days. I've been having a bad week with this huge Biology test tomorrow and a Calculus mark that is dwindling. Hope your days are better! I know you asked for a long chapter, but will this one do? It does have Carl in it after all.

**_HyperCaz_**: Thank you for your input on the Gabriel Mina pairing. I'm still working out the end of the story anyways, so they may get separated in the end just as Gabriel and Anna did in the first. If you have any major problems with it then please tell me!

**_Gambit_**: More Mina and Gabriel in the following chapters! I hope the slight sexual tension in the beginning of this chapter made you happy. I'm really looking forward to the next few chapters and you'll see why when I post them.

**_THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR REVIEWS! Now, if you'll be so kind as to review!_**


	9. Morgan's Next Target

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringement of copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Chapter 9: Morgan's Next Target

"Wait a moment." Mina said, stalling Carl once again before he could continue. She closed her eyes, trying to figure out the situation. "She's stealing swords for a spell?"

"You sound like that's a strange thing." Carl replied.

Mina shook her head. "That sounds too simple for Morgan. She wasn't simply stealing these swords she was killing the people who owned them."

"If I were allowed to finish it might make more sense." He said.

"Sorry." She apologized again. Carl continued.

"These swords aren't just any swords." He said as he dropped the large amount of papers he was holding before reaching back into the sack for one of the final items inside. He yanked out a large roll of parchment, unrolling it very quickly and holding it open for Mina and Gabriel to see. Words were written in Latin scripture, the writing curved and elegant. Mina's eyes widened and her fingers landed on the bottom corner of the parchment where an emblem was drawn.

"That's the tattoo Morgan's victims had!" She said, surprised. Gabriel watched her hand slide away from the paper, eyeing the symbol carefully.

It was as if he were looking through a window and into his past, watching the white flag flutter in the wind as the breeze summoned it to the south that day. He could see the red dragon on the fabric, his tongue sticking out while his arm clutched the bottom of a brown crucifix. Behind him was a circle with lines stretching from the middle out, looking like a carousel. He blinked again, coming back to reality as Carl continued.

"This is a contract written by twenty men in 1765. It explains that the lake Morgan threw the sheath into dried up years ago and the men had come into possession of 'Arthur's most prized tool'." Carl scrolled his fingers down the page. "In other words, they had found the sheath and bound themselves together in writing to protect it should evil wish to use it."

"But Morgan is stealing swords, not sheaths." Mina added. Carl rolled his eyes.

"You know I could get through this if I wasn't interrupted all the time."

"Sorry." Mina said. Carl looked back at the parchment.

"So, to protect it, they broke the sheath down into twenty pieces and re-forged into swords, which they each took into hiding with them." Carl said, continuing to read before reaching the bottom. He stopped a moment before sharing a look between them. "Does one of you have a list of victims?"

There was a moment of confusion before Mina suddenly gasped and ran back to her desk, rummaging through books and papers until she finally discovered the parchment she was looking for. She handed it to Carl.

"Thank you. Now, look at the last names." He pointed at the last names on the parchment of the twenty signatures beneath the contract, comparing them.

"They're descendants who the sword was passed down to." Gabrielle said. "Good work Carl."  
"Thank you Mr. Van Helsing." He said.

"So Morgan wants the sheath of Excalibur to perform a spell that supposedly brings people back from the dead…" Gabriel said, thinking about the situation for the first time in a long time. As he had once told Anna, he usually only asked two questions: What is it and how does he kill it? But Morgan was odd. He actually cared about why she was intent upon performing a spell that was deemed impossible by even Merlin.

_But maybe that's why she's so intent on it._ He thought, narrowing his eyes. Mina glanced over at him.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"I think I know why she wants to do a spell like this." He said. "She's trying to outdo Merlin."

"Outdo Merlin?" Mina asked confused. She crossed her arms and furrowed her brow, looking at Gabriel. Carl seemed to catch on much faster than she.

"That is completely logical." He said as he came to the same realization. "With Merlin's assumed power she could conceivably take over the entire world."

"Than why does she simply perform this spell?" Mina asked. "If she could control the world would that not be easier than attempting to bring things back to life?"

There was silence again. Gabriel breathed deeply, his ribs setting back into place quickly. He gripped his chest and slowed his breathing and heart down a little, finding they had sped up in the past moment. He closed his eyes, knowing Mina's were watching him. He finally gathered up his strength.

"I'm going to need the name of the last man on that contract." He said. Carl looked from the list to the contract and finally determined who it was.

"Walker." He said.

"First name?"

"None. Unless he was named after his ancestor, which is highly unlikely." Mina seemed to get another idea from this and went back to her desk, snatching up a newspaper article from her things.

"Harold Walker." She said finally. "He owns a private museum that he only opens once a year to the wealthiest people in Britain. He showcases a collection of swords as well, something Morgan probably found quite easily."

"How so?" Gabriel asked.

"He opens tomorrow night." She said, holding out the clipping from the London newsprint. He walked over and snatched it from her, reading through it quickly but finding nothing important, except his ties to some of the finest weaponry ever produced in Britain.

"What is it with these men and showing off their swords?" Carl asked. "It's almost as if they want to be killed."

Gabriel nodded and picked up his coat off the couch, snatching his hat off the arm rest. He also took up the smaller blade that Carl had provided for him. Mina looked from the friar to Van Helsing.

"You're not going out now are you?" She asked him. "It has only been a day since she wounded you. Your ribs are still weak."

"I heal quickly and I will be back. I'm going to see if Walker has had any unexpected visitors yet." Mina opened her mouth to protest, looking to Carl for support. He just grabbed the bag off the couch and loaded some bullets into the new pistol he brought along.

"You'll need some of these." He said, scurrying after him. Mina watched them prepare at her front door and she finally grabbed her coat off the hook on the wall and pulled it on. Gabriel looked over at her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you." She said, buttoning the six or seven buttons on the front of her coat. The scarf hung idle on the hook, unnecessary seeing as she was wearing a dress with a high neck, one that again, shielded her throat from being seen.

Gabriel had started to catch onto her discomfort surrounding her neck, and he was beginning to get suspicious. He had at first dismissed the thought of her being a vampire, but two things proved otherwise. One, he would have been able to sense her if she was a vampire. The feelings would have struck him even in his semi-conscious state while they were walking down the street. He would have been able to feel it when her fingers touched his flesh and her eyes moved over his face, recognizing him from a place and time he could not recall. Second, and most importantly, had she truly been a vampire she would have killed him the night before, the blood shed driving her into frenzy. He had seen it too many other times to think that vampires were capable of resisting blood unless they were full or recently fed.

And Mina had never once looked at him as if he was dinner.

_But she was in a room with Hamilton. She could have drunk him dry when I passed out._

But there was another problem with the theory: Vampires drink blood from living hearts. They couldn't stomach blood as it started to coagulate. It was as deadly as the sun.

"No you're not." He replied quickly.

"Would you like to give me a reason why not?" She asked him, finishing buttoning up her coat. He glanced over it, taking note of the small blood stain on the end of the sleeve near her wrist that gleamed in the light.

"This isn't your fight."

"You're not God. You cannot tell me what is and is not my fight."

"I cannot be the one to protect you."

"I will not need your protection any longer Mr. Van Helsing."

Gabriel felt frustrated that he could not remember their first meeting. He had tried. He assumed he had dreamed about it and forgot it as soon as consciousness returned, but nothing could surface in his conscious memory and hardly ever did. Even fighting Dracula did not cause any memories to resurface, and he could feel Dracula and sense his evil intentions. Mina was a mystery. He couldn't sense her intentions at all and had learned very little about her in the past while that they had been together.

"I am going, Mr. Van Helsing. Who knows? Perhaps Morgan will consider driving another sword into you and my services will be needed again?"

He sighed deeply. He thought of the 'knock-out' drugs he carried on his belt just in case. They were originally created by Carl to cause creatures to pass out long enough for a capture, but Gabriel had never used it for that purpose. People seemed to be the usual target of the drugs. He looked at Mina and finally dropped his hand from his belt.

"Let's go." He said. Mina smiled softly, checking her coat pocket for her pistol.

* * *

The night breeze was calming, soothing almost to Gabriel. He could smell that rain was nearby, the salty winds licking his cheeks and the scent of the ocean in his nose. It smelled like a homecoming almost, as if he belonged in that city with that woman and that monk at his sides. The clouds were coming in thick from the east, the stars disappearing under them. He knew that they would soon be working in the pouring rain and have a storm to contend with. In some ways, he blamed Morgan. In others, he just allowed it to exist. It didn't really matter anyways. He had worked in storms and blizzards before, sometimes on mountain tops or at the very depths of craters where one could swear they had made it all the way to hell.

One particular mission in the past four years stuck with him, staying in his mind like a sliver that he had stubbornly refused to push out from under the thin layer of skin that concealed it within him. It was like a festering wound he couldn't reach to clean and the infection drove him steadily mad. He could recall being sent to France to kill off a vampire, one of his first missions. He was driven into a cave in some of the cliffs around the coast, driven by the feelings of darkness that grew from there and the hand drawn map Carl had given to him. The friar seemed angry about their partnership and quite curt with Gabriel the first time they met.

_"Try and bring this one back moving, Mr. Van Helsing. And when I say moving I don't mean the nerves are still twitching from a fresh kill."_

_ He had rolled his eyes at that, Carl's scolding still fresh from his previous mission in Madrid where he was 'forced' to kill a werewolf. He doubted the excuse that Gabriel had tried everything within his power to avoid killing it was actually valid._

The vampire he was sent to kill was blonde, spending her days in the cave with thousands of bats while at night she hunted the country side and preyed on lambs. It was becoming a problem as he thirst demanded many more animals a night rather than just one or two a week. They had sent a letter to the Vatican claiming it had become one or two a night.

By the time Gabriel arrived a child had already gone missing, and by his second night, two twin babies were gone, stolen from their cradles in the night despite all the charms their parents' had put on the beds. He tracked the woman to the cliffs on the coast, stalking her into the cave where he heard the babies crying, still alive, but he had determined whether they were well or not.

The woman was singing to them, laughing a little and trying to soothe them. Her appearance by that point was more frightening than Dracula's brides in their true forms. She was completely white from head to toe, her blue veins practically popping out of her skin. He had never witnessed a vampire like that before, but he recognized it as a sign that they lacked the nourishment of human blood. He took out the silver stake anyways, still able to feel the evil radiating from within as he took another step forward, staring out of the small tunnel into her 'room', a vast cavern where bats could be heard on the ceiling and her torches cast eerie shadows on the walls.

She was dressed in white, a wedding dress to be exact that had long since faded and torn, hanging off her slender shoulders and deep into her small breasts that were barely evident on her chest from her emaciated frame. The babies were lying on a bed of white sheets that she had stolen and she was looking upon them with her blonde hair hanging over her shoulders and down her back, her mouth moving and singing a song that was barely understandable from her fangs.

Gabriel saw her reaching for the children. He threw the stake and struck her in the back, straight through to her front where the tip exploded with dead and coagulated blood. She screamed and the babies cried with her and it was impossible to tell who was louder.

"Mr. Van Helsing?" Mina asked him, concerned that he was so quiet. He looked over at her. "Are you alright?"

"What did you say?" He questioned, recalling that she had said something before she had summoned him back from his imagination.

"I was just saying how the wind changed direction suddenly, as if someone was controlling it."

He stopped for a moment, finding that she was correct. The wind was now blowing west, a completely change in direction from moments ago when the west had been blustering in playfully, bringing the storm clouds closer. The clouds were now over top of them, stuck in the middle, the sky caught in a war with Mother Nature as she reached her hand over them and blocked out the moon and the stars.

"She's here." He said. "Close by."

"Where would that be?" Carl asked, a lump in his throat. He sounded fearful and his legs were visibly shaking.

"Relax Carl. She's a fair distance yet."

It didn't matter to Mina or Gabriel whether she was blocks away or directly in front of them. Mina had her pistol in her hand, cocked and at the ready in her right, her gloved finger sliding to touch the trigger gently. Gabriel was holding a single tojo blade in his left with his silver pistol in his right, the sword on his hip calling to him for some reason as if it wanted to be drawn out and used. He ignored it, walking slowly ahead with Carl and Mina at his sides in case he needed back up.

He could hear the voices in his ears again, the shrill voices that were telling him things he couldn't understand again. It wasn't just the voices that told him Morgan was around. It was the sensation of invincibility again. It was the feeling as if he couldn't die, even if he put the pistol to his head and pulled the trigger.

"Where is she?" Mina asked, obviously able to sense her just as well as he could. Or she was reading the way he was looking around suspiciously and staring at every corner of the street, waiting for something to jump out at him. He scanned the empty cobblestone streets, searching about for shadowy woman in long cloaks who happened to be carrying a broad sword in the nineteenth century. Nobody matched that description, but the signs were there, telling him he was either close enough or too close.

But his feelings never worked like that.

"Mr. Van Helsing?" Carl asked.

"What is it Carl?" He replied quickly, still looking around.

"I think we've found Mr. Walker." He said, pointing slowly at the sign on the street corner. Mina glanced over at her male counterparts, embarrassed she hadn't noticed it first. Gabriel relaxed a little, finding lights on inside.

"Good work Carl." He said, swallowing hard, feeling like an idiot for not seeing a sign indicating the arrival to Harold Walker's museum.

"Well, you two behave yourselves." Carl said, talking a few steps back. Gabriel grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him up to the yard.

"I can't hear anything." Mina confessed.

"I can." Gabriel said, getting a headache from the sounds of Morgan's subjects at his ears. Carl was right. They did follow around Morgan like flies to a corpse. Only flies were far less irritating. They were breaking his concentration, and he assumed that was their motive.

"No, I mean I can't hear any signs of struggle, or any movement for that matter." She said, running her fingers along the walls of the door as if to feel if Morgan was inside. Gabriel watched her eyes narrow, and for a moment he saw them change from green to an electric blue. He blinked and the signs of any physical change were gone.

Mina caught him staring at her for a moment. She looked back as if she were naked in front of him and pulled her arms tighter to her body. He looked away.

"So, do we knock?" He asked them, even though he knew the question didn't deserve an answer. He couldn't imagine what he would say to the maids that answered the door. _We're here to investigate the break-in of a century old sorceress who's killing your master upstairs for the sake of a weapon. Can we come in?_ That would go over beautifully.

"Well we don't even know if she's inside yet." Mina said.

"Yes but we do know this is where she's heading next." Carl added.

"However we are not completely certain. For all we know there could be another 'Walker' out there somewhere in the world who's just hoping that Morgan le Faye will come here." Gabriel interjected.

"Yes but how many could there possibly be with a collection of ancient swords from the same era as Morgan le Faye?" She jumped into the conversation again.

"Are we trying to discuss this was a clever plan of action when we could possibly be dead in moments?" Carl asked fearfully.

"Relax Carl."

"Well I don't know about you but dying by the hands of a sorceress with motives to kill is not what I would consider to be a good death." He crouched low under the lamp that shone down from above the door they were standing at.

"What would you consider to be a 'good death' Carl?"

"One that doesn't involve any sorceresses or vampires or werewolves and anything like that."  
"You got into the wrong line of work Carl." Gabriel looked around the front steps they were standing on. He found Carl a few steps behind him, but in the small fraction of time he had been speaking to Carl, Mina had vanished into was seemed to be thin air. He glanced around the corner of the house.

"Where did she go to?"

"Probably not far." Gabriel said, clutching his shoulder as he bent around to look at the side of the house. He found the space empty. No one was around.

"I stand corrected." He said, coming back to the front steps of the house. The light flickered in the second floor bedroom, followed by the sound of shattering glass and the gargling that resembled the sound of blood in a man's throat after it had been slashed. Gabriel grabbed his grappling gun and fired at the roof.

"Coming Carl?" He asked, grabbing hold of his small friend (who was attempting to walk away prior to Gabriel snatching him) and jumped up. The gun re-coiled the strong cable it was attached to, but needed the extra leverage of Gabriel leaping against the wall of the house to finally reach the bedroom. He and Carl were thrown through the open window and onto the floor.

Morgan laughed coyly, holding up the sword in her hands, the sheath splattered with its owner's blood. She turned and looked toward Van Helsing just as he let a string of bullets out at her, dragging Carl to the other side of the room before she could pelt another magical projectile at him. She snarled.

"So you have brought someone to die with you?" She said. "It's a shame it wasn't your dear friend Mina. I could have had an awful lot of fun with you two."

The door was thrown open and Mina's pistol fired at Morgan. She turned and glared at her.

"Mina? How long has it been?" She said, tilting her head as she mocked the memory of the woman. "You're not still hiding those nasty scars are you?"

The tojo blade started spinning. Gabriel threw it quickly, Morgan's left hand rising to throw it out of the way. It cut deep into her fingers, sending the small limbs flying to the floor in a mist of bright red blood. She screamed in agony, the tojo blade landing in the wall. Her right hand kept a constant grip on the sword sheath. Mina made a dash for the sword on the table across the room, her pistol empty. Morgan spun her hand and struck her with something large that crackled with unearthly energy, sending her into the wall and straight to the ground.

Gabriel reached for the dagger at his side with his right arm, forgetting the pain in his left shoulder for a moment. The lightning crackled from outside, sending white light down Morgan's pale flesh, her face appearing once more in his eyes before she was gone with the darkness that consumed her once more.

He heard the footsteps running up the stairs. He moved over to the other side of the room where he grabbed Mina's body as she was awakening and snatched up Carl as well from his hiding spot on the floor.

Scotland Yard was moments too late to catch the illusive Van Helsing once again. They burst in through the door and saw the dead body on the ground, not needing to ask who had committed the crime once again.

* * *

Author's Notes: I am so angry at my teachers! I have been having a bad week from the beginning and I did really bad on my Biology Test on Thursday and just found out I got 8/20 on my Calculus test. I've been really bummed out all week with my writing too. My original story Edgetheow is huge and I have barely started the second volume. And my X-Files Fanfiction is a completely different story. It's not only drawn out much longer than I thought it would be (25 chapters in counting), but the characterization is all wrong once again. Oh well. I suppose I'm spilling my guts because I'm really angry for not being able to write as often as I would like. And by writing I don't mean the five page essay for American History. I want to keep going with my Fanfiction and my original Fiction. Bottom Line: Chapter uploading might become a little more sporadic over the next few weeks with exams and stuff coming up. Thanks to everyone who's been really supportive!

Reviews

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: Carl was my favourite character for that reason! The second he started whispering in that woman's ear I was laughing so hard I started to cry! It was just too hilarious!

**_Nicolaus Pacione_**: Wow. You have been really supportive of my writing and I very much appreciate it. I checked out mockfear.com and was blown away by some of the writings posted there. Thank you very much for all your support and encouragement!

**_Shadowsage_**: It looks like you will have to wait a little longer to know how Mina and Gabriel know each other. I know it sucks to wait, but I hope this chapter tides you over until then. By the way, thank you for your comment on my blending of Arthurian legend with Van Helsing. Morgan le Faye (or Fae, however you may spell it) has always been one of my favourite characters in literature and I hope I haven't corrupted her too much with this story.

I'm glad Fanfiction let you log in finally! It drives me crazy when it says there's a timeout or the server is too busy on my computer since I love Fanfiction! I believe we have a similar theory (mine were unfortunately ripped, by the way, but we'll get into that a little later).

**_Scholar_**: What do you think the Cardinal would do if he found out about Carl and that barmaid? I think Jinette would have Carl's head for hearing about something as sacrilegious as that, although it would be funny to see Jinette's reaction. I would be happy to add in some more flashbacks with Carl and Gabriel's first meeting! It would be amazing to write about the foil I tried to create between Gabriel and Malachi (namely their killer's instinct).

**_Mandolin_**: I didn't want to give too much away about Mina at that point, but I'm sure some of the information in this chapter will start to explain why her age seems to be so young instead of much older. More will come in later chapters and I can promise that it will all make sense. It was nice to hear I got Gabriel in character. It scares me when I write about a new character and don't get them absolutely perfect. I was afraid with him seeing rather trusting because it would give the impression that's what he does on a regular basis. He didn't exactly warm up to Anna immediately.

And I'm on your Author Alert! That's really flattering! Thank you!

As for your second review, yes Carl seems to have the God's favour doesn't he? Even though he goes around making cats disappear. I probably couldn't kill Mina off in the end, but they may get separated since I can't see her returning to Rome with Gabriel very plausible either. Maybe you could steal me a copy of Volume 2 as well. I have to reread Volume 1 every time I need my dose of the League. What I found kind of contradicting was that they are called the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but it seemed to me that they were being lead by a woman (Go Mina)!

**_Doodily Doo_**: This chapter, I hope, was equally as informative with a little more action!

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: It's comforting to hear that a fan of Dracula likes Mina's characterization. I have to pick up a copy of Dracula and read it before I write another Van Helsing story. Although, I do know that the movie was slightly inaccurate on some events as well. As I recall, Van Helsing's name was Abraham in the novel, but I could be mistaken in my information as well.

Perfect? (Blushes) Thank you very much!

**_Grissom_**: Maybe not the best Van Helsing story, but thank you very much for the compliment. It was well received. It's nice to know that you're enjoying the story so far. And you read it in one sitting? Wow. Some of the chapters are pretty long. Thank you!

**_Latanya_**: New chapters are coming as soon as I can write them, and with this course load, it's getting pretty tough.

**_Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the chapters! I love having feedback from people who are enjoying my story, and even those who aren't!_**

**_So now, please review whether you enjoyed the chapter or not! Your comments are appreciated!_**


	10. Secrets

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringement of copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Chapter 10: Secrets

Mina started to awaken as Gabriel yanked her from the room, scooping her up in his arms temporarily before swinging down and into the front yard. This action did nothing for her pounding temples and throbbing skull. She reached up for her head and groaned loudly as Gabriel set her feet down and the three sauntered into the darkness. She could barely keep up and was forced to concentrate on moving. Her thought process was hurting, something that never happened unless she was over consumed with her work. Carl gestured for a darkened alley and Gabriel pulled her inside. She pulled her arm from his shoulders and gripped her head in pain, wincing slightly as she felt the bruise already begin to swell.

But Gabriel ignored this, already angry that he knew so little about his new 'old' friend. He couldn't remember their time together, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but Morgan's statement about her scars caused him to pin her against the brick wall on the right, his hand at her throat while Mina reached up and snatched his wrists in her hands, yanking them from her throat.  
"Excuse me!" She said, a little too loudly since Carl peaked out of the alley and shushed them before he saw what Gabriel was doing.

"Van Helsing?" He asked fearfully, confused by what he saw. One moment Mina was a trusted ally who deserved to be invited in on their mission to kill Morgan le Faye. Now she had been reduced to possible spy and threat to the mission. He stopped short and watched Gabriel lean closer to Mina.

"What did she mean?" He growled at her. "What are you not telling us?"  
"I'm on your side." Mina managed, her eyes rolling up into her skull as black spots danced in her vision. Gabriel's hand threatened to tighten. She flexed her neck muscles, her hands still on his wrist.

"Morgan seemed like she knew you."

"In a way, she does."

Gabriel waited a moment before tightening his hand. He waited with her choking under his fingers, straining to breathe, before he felt something familiar rising up from inside her. He loosened his fingers and pulled down the high neck of the dress, Mina still pressed against the wall. At the last moment she frantically tried to stop him, but he discovered what she did not tell him at her home. He found two scars the size of sharp canine teeth on her jugular vein, ones that were trademark to only vampires. Carl's mouth opened and his eyes widening as he dug through his robes and snatched out a stake he always carried with him, tossing it to Gabriel. The sharpened end shot out in front of Mina's face, her eyes widening in fear momentarily before relaxing. He pressed it against the corset on her chest, above her heart.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't do it." He told her. Mina coughed hard, breathing deeply. The stake cut into the fabric of her coat and she could feel it pushing in on her breast bone, so close to her still heart. She breathed heavily.

"I can control it." She told him. "I synthesized a substitute for human blood out of salt and iron." Gabriel's eyes narrowed. He'd heard stories of the Vatican scientists trying to create such a chemical, one that could humanize vampires somewhat. "It keeps me sane, even when I truly crave the taste of a human. It also slows my transformation time so that I can stop it if need be."

He noticed that the feelings of evil he felt coming from her a moment ago were subsiding and disappearing as her breath slowed. His hand stayed at her neck and the stake was still at her heart despite her assurances that she was safe. Mina closed her eyes and continued, sighing deeply.

"I'm hunting Morgan because her blood can cure me." She said, causing their eyes to look back at her. "Only the blood of the Queen of the Fey can cure almost any known sickness or condition."

"There's no proof of that." Gabriel said.

"Oh yes there is. Where do you think Dracula got his cure for a werewolf bite?" She asked him.

Gabriel had a momentary feeling of regret. He remembered the red liquid inside the needle in his abdomen as Anna pushed in the plunger. He remembered (vaguely) the smell of blood in the air that was not Anna's or Dracula's.

And he remembered the feelings of power that came with it.

"Morgan's blood is the only thing that can completely destroy a vampire's bite." Mina was silent for a moment, her head facing slightly upwards and away from his hand. "That was why I was hunting her."

Gabriel hesitated a moment, torn over what to do. It was his duty to kill vampires. It was a job requirement and a mandatory duty of a member of the Knight of the Holy Order to kill off anything that was remotely evil.

But evil didn't seem to have a hold on Mina at all. He could only sense it when she was being threatened, and even then it was being held back by her iron will.

"If you want to kill me do it. I won't fight back." Mina said. She didn't close her eyes or tense up and the sound of her inhaling and exhaling could be used to keep rhythm to a piano. She was unafraid of her fate, knowing it came with being a creature of the undead.

But Gabriel didn't stab her with the stake. He retracted the sharpened end back into the handle and tossed it back to Carl who continued to stare, saying Gabriel's last name again. Mina felt his hand leave her throat and she lifted herself from the wall, standing up straight again before coughing loudly. The sounds of Scotland Yard were heard down the street, and several officers were catching up with them.

"What's our plan?" Carl asked quickly. Gabriel was looking up and into the night sky, the clouds covering nearly the whole city and blocking out the stairs. He looked at the rooftops, the high edges easy to dig his grappling gun into. Mina looked around the corner. She saw at least four coming down the street with lanterns.

"I have an idea." She said quickly. Gabriel and Carl glanced over at her. She sniffled a little and started breathing heavily, her eyes brimming with tears before she pushed Gabriel back and into the other wall and screamed, running out of the alley.

"Well that was just a little strange." Carl said.

Mina ran straight to the officers, pointing and shouting for them. Their lights fell upon her, the neck of her dress pulled down and her eyes filled with tears.

"HELP ME!" She shouted. "HELP ME PLEASE! Two men in there just tried to rape me!"

* * *

Gabriel was wishing he had simply staked her and avoided that little scene with the authorities, but there was nothing he could do at the time being. Already the officers were trying to console a shrieking Mina who was speaking too quickly to be understood very well. He reached for his pistol as the officer stepped around the corner and held out his own.

"Drop the weapons Van Helsing." He said quickly, his face and body hidden by the shadows cast by the light. Gabriel still heard Mina out in the street, sobbing uncontrollably. He un-cocked his weapon and dropped it to the ground, hearing Carl do the same with the silver stake. Two others appeared, shouting down the street for reinforcements as they had just captured the legendary Van Helsing.

Carl was taking his time as he emptied out his robe. His mission in Transylvania taught him one thing: He should always be prepared for something. His sleeves were packed with everything from stakes to extra bullets to small orbs of gas that burned or froze when shattered. The officers were watching with bored stares, their pistols slowly dropping down.

There was the flutter of wings moving quickly towards them, and before the men could stop them they were struck with an onslaught of small bats that pummeled them to the ground. The other officers who were running down the street stopped, watching the scene with widened eyes. The bats pushed the three officers into the air and threw them at least ten feet before they slid to a stop, each knocked out cold for the time being.

The bats spiraled around the entrance to the alley for a moment, each landing on top of the other as they took the shape once more of Mina's skirt and coat. Her shadow grew at last until it was completed, her body back to normal once again.

"I'm a murderer and a rapist now?" He asked her.

"I was improvising, Mr. Van Helsing. I didn't exactly have time to concoct a more believable story."

She looked at the officers at the end of the street, eyeing them carefully.

"Can we leave now?" Carl asked. Gabriel picked up his pistol. He was about to take off running when he noticed that Carl was not. The friar was busy picking up everything he had deposited on the ground when they were at gun point. Gabriel went back for him.

"Come along Carl." He said, dragging his friend out into the poorly illuminated street and into the darkness ahead. The officers behind them shouted, but they were already gone by the time they thought about what the authorities were truly saying.

* * *

Morgan's window opened and she stood on the floor, clutching the blade in her hand lovingly, her eyes closed in happiness. She opened them and looked at the final sword, the only thing she needed to complete her spell. Her servants were laughing with her, their shrill voices whispering compliments and praises for her work. They were telling her she was a great sorceress and an asset to the Goddess herself. This made Morgan smile, thanking the Goddess for her patience and her gifts that were bestowed upon her, and drew the blade from the sheath.

She was to meet with a brilliant white glow of the Excalibur's power, just as she had met with the others. She thought she was hallucinating when she saw that the sword produced no glow. It was just a sword.

She had no time to check for the piece inside Harold's home. She had killed him prior to Van Helsing's obnoxious interference and had no time to look that she had grabbed the correct blade. Morgan slid the blade back in the sheath and yanked it free once more, meeting the same image as before.

The blade was a normal blade. It was not the blade that held the piece of Excalibur's sheath.

Morgan stared at it for an eternity before she tightened her grip on the hilt. The blade crumbled to ash and flew to the ground. The hilt melted in her fingers and hit the ground as a clump of molten steel. She could have sworn she had felt the power of Excalibur near her when she had held the blade. How could Harold have tricked her like that? She was the monarch of Magick, the Goddess's favourite out of she and her idiot sister Morgause. She had plotted the demise of Camelot and her lover Accolon, manipulating him as cruelly as she had once been. She had slept with Arthur and carried the child that would bring the Kingdom to its knees. She had killed Merlin and taken his power. And she had written the spell that would bring the dead back from the grave.

And she had lost the last piece of Excalibur within the home of Harold Walker.

She looked out the window as the rain began. The storm that struck London that night would live in infamy. It was the worst storm that would ever loom over England.

* * *

Gabriel could not rest easy the rest of that night. He was inside Mina's house, listening to the rain come down hard against the windows. He could hear Carl breathing deeply on the other couch near him, curled under the blankets he had brought from the Vatican. The lightning flashed and crackled and the thunder boomed but it wasn't the whether that kept him awake. It was the feelings of uneasiness that came from knowing and confirming that Mina was a vampire.

He watched her go upstairs, dropping her coat over the banister and leaving silently. There was a deep feeling of shame in the way she moved. Perhaps it was returning to the second level of her house that made her so angry, walking as if she were walking back into a time when Gabriel was not there and her husband was. He looked over at Carl who was sleeping with a stake that night. Gabriel just slept with his gun slipped under the firm pillow under his head.

At first sleep would have seemed easy for him. His chest was healing but slowly, and he had hardly given it any time to finally get better. He found that the stitches were starting to rip from either side of the open flap of skin. He eased himself back on the couch and closed his eyes, but sleep didn't come to him, and he knew it most likely would not.

He played a game with himself instead, struggling to remember why he trusted Mina as he did. It was unconscious trust and blind faith. He knew in his heart she didn't want to hurt him, even though she was herself a creature he had sworn to hate and kill. But he couldn't stab her tonight. He found his arm locked up with the feeling off her breathing and her chest under the sharpened object. He never admitted it to Carl, but he hadn't granted her the mercy of life because she could control the transformations. He had granted her mercy because in some lifetime he knew her and somehow cared for her.

Gabriel heard the stairs creak and the sound of a match being lit and extinguished with a strong breath. He looked up and past the arm rest at his feet as Mina came down the stairs, her face pale and covered in sweat, sparkling in the lamp light. He closed his eyes just enough to pretend he was asleep, but slid his hand slowly to the pistol under his pillow just in case.

She neared the foot of the couch, eyeing them carefully as she leaned forward and inspected that they were asleep. Mina breathed deeply, sighing as she took an extra long look at Gabriel, still in Jonathan's shirt while his chest rose and fell slowly.

For a moment Gabriel thought she was planning something, but he watched her leave soon after and go past the stairs to the rest of the rooms in the small but cozy home. He quietly sat up, looking after her, the light of the oil lamp shining out into the hall. He got to his feet, the floor creaking so suddenly that he dropped back onto the couch once again, afraid she heard him. He finally got up again, sure that she wasn't coming back to check on him, and walked around to the kitchen.

Mina was standing next to the ice box, holding an Erlenmeyer flask in her hand. Inside was a red liquid, much to the equivalent of blood, but it was much more thick and syrupy. She didn't notice him, and pulled out of the cork of the bottle and placed it to her lips, beginning to drink it down.

He watched her swallow hungrily, needing the taste of the blood in her mouth as if it were air itself. Her eyes opened and stared at the liquid coming down her throat, tears welling up at the edges of her eyes and dripping down her cheeks. Gabriel stepped back and into the darkness again but his eyes were stuck on her. He was entranced somehow by her desperation, her need, but the betrayal in his eyes astonished him. They were saddened by her requirement for blood.

She pulled the flask down and breathed heavily, small traces of the liquid running down from her lips. She wiped them away with her sleeve, turning back to the ice box and corking the bottle before putting it back inside. It took her a moment to realize she was being watched, her eyes opening and her pupils constricting as she turned back to find him half hidden in the door. Mina closed the ice box.

"I suppose you want to kill me now." She said, wiping her mouth again as she turned. The white robe she wore spun around her feet and she kicked it to straighten it out.

"I can't." He said, stepping into the kitchen slowly. "I can only kill the wicked, and you are not wicked."

"You don't know what I am." She said. "You only know that I am a vampire, but you do not truly know who I am."

"I can sense evil." He said quickly, cutting straight to the point. "And I can sense no evil from you." He stopped by the stove, crossing his arms. His point had been made. Mina closed her eyes and wiped away the sweat and tears. She took a moment more to fully come back to her senses.

"I was intrigued by you, Mr. Van Helsing." She admitted. "And I do not simply mean when Morgan first attacked you. I mean before that. Before you lost everything."

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. He held himself still though, allowing her to say what she wanted.

"When we first met I confided in you a secret about my husband that I was not even ready to admit to myself." She began, her mind taking her back to moments when she could remember and he could not. "I thought he was insane, the way he wrote in his journal about everything that had befallen him when he was meeting with the Count."

Gabriel's heart skipped a beat. She knew about Dracula?

Mina could read the question in his stare, and she nodded.

"Count Vladislaus Dracula." She said, her mouth curving awkwardly around the words. Her British accent could not fully pronounce the Transylvanian name without sounding rather odd. "He took the life of my friend, Lucy."

_Lucy? _He knew that name. He knew he did. It was at the tip of his mind, telling him something that he couldn't recall. It called him back to somewhere, an undisclosed location.

_Wait, it was a grave. He was pulled back to a graveyard where a woman in white walked between the trees at sunset, carrying infants in her arms to her crypt where she drained them of blood completely._

"Do you remember?" She asked him. Gabriel looked at her. He closed his eyes.

"I remember chasing a woman in a graveyard." He said. The colour seemed to return to Mina's cheeks a little.

"You remember hunting Lucy." She said.

_He remembered her telling him how she had thought her husband may be insane. He told her she was wrong._

"Your husband's name was Jonathan?" He asked. She nodded. "Jonathan Harker." He repeated for his own reference. His voice became softer and gentler.

"How did he die, Mina?" He asked her.

She inhaled deeply; her eyes were half closed. Gabriel thought at first she wasn't going to answer but she finally did.

"He was killed by a vampire who once worked for Dracula." She said. "The same vampire who killed him left me damned for eternity."

* * *

Author's Notes: I enjoyed writing this chapter mainly because of Mina's outburst to get them away from the Scotland Yard. Her ability to turn into a flock of bats was from the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, an interesting twist on her character that I thought was actually quite cool.

At the end, Mina mentions that Jonathan was killed by a different vampire and she too was bitten by this different vampire. I did this for two reasons: 1) I have not read Dracula, but I'm pretty sure at the end of the book they destroy the Count. Anyone who has read Dracula could comment on this. I'm not trying to make assumptions. 2) The movie mentions how anything created by Dracula will be destroyed when Dracula is destroyed. If Mina was bitten by Dracula and Jonathan was killed by him, it would mean that when Gabriel killed Dracula she too would have either reverted back to human form or died. If I've made too many assumptions, I apologize that this story is not quite what the original novel is. It's a little AU from the movie as well, and you'll be able to tell that with later posts.

My biggest fear is getting characters OOC. I hate it when other Fanfiction authors do it and do not wish to fall into the trap. I tried to give enough reason at the end for Gabriel's 'sparing' of Mina, but no one's perfect. If any of this seems wrong or against Hugh Jackman's character please say so and give comments on how I could have done it differently. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR READING THROUGH THE LENGTHLY AUTHOR'S NOTE!

Reviews

**_J_**: I appreciate your nitpicking and would never discourage you from it. I avoided putting Mr. in front of Van Helsing (when Carl's speaking anyways. Mina still calls him as such) and am very grateful for the help!

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: Thank you very much! Exams aren't going to be pretty, but I like coming back to my computer and I literally cannot wait to continue this story! It's become one of my favourites! It's actually taking the place of my original fiction, but it could never go that far. I think I'm going to give up on the X-Files story for now. Hugh Jackman has won me over entirely. I'm enjoying this story much more than the other. Thanks again!

**_Summer Knight_**: Thanks for the information! I have actually read a bit of The Lord of the Vampires by an author whose name I can't remember. In it was the true story of Count Vlad Tsepesh with diary entries of Abraham as his wife slipped into insanity. I didn't know he had a son though. I think I'm going to incorporate that into the rest of the story. Thank you!

PS: Don't ever think I'd flame you for a review! Unless you flamed me I don't think I'd lose my temper that easily!

**_Saerry Snape_**: It's a relief to hear that I'm not doing too much damage to Bram Stoker's story. I know a few things about it (mainly from seeing movies like Dracula: Dead and Loving It) but I did pick up a copy of the book just in case. You really should read the Graphic Novel of the League. It was better than the movie, although could you really hate a movie with Shane West in it? I think not.

Oh, and on a final note, thanks for saying my story's great. It makes my day!

**_HyperCaz_**: I'm a pretty violent reader. I liked making her fingers fly off too.

**_Eponine_**: Wow. The best Van Helsing story? That's saying too much. But thank you very much. I'm glad that you're enjoying it. And I'm glad I got Carl. It ticks me off to read a lot of other Van Helsing Fanfiction and all he's good for is a laugh, using the same jokes he used from the movie. There's more to Carl than that! He's also intelligent and he's an inventor. He is a great character and knowing that I've characterized him properly is great. Thank you!

**_Scholar_**: Carl is my favourite character, without a doubt. He was just too funny at times (especially when he was showing Gabriel around the Vatican). Could you imagine Jinette finding out about the barmaid? (LMAO!) That is an awesome idea! Thank you!

**_Grissom_**: That's the one thing I hate about my computer with its Auto-Correction. If I spell a word wrong it doesn't fix it grammatically no matter what buttons I press! Silly technology! Anyways, I like nitpicky reviewers, unless they just go over the top (which you didn't). I completely agree with your points about the 'Anna's not dead thing.' The first time someone did it the idea was interesting. And then twenty other writers started writing about it too. I felt like one of the only people who felt like Anna should have died! I didn't even like Kate Beckinsale that much in the movie! Slash is just a fact of this website. If you look at Lord of the Rings there is an Aragorn and Legolas slash every twenty or so stories. I don't hate homosexuals but I think they made it pretty clear that Gabriel is a heterosexual. He didn't hold Carl back. He grabbed for Anna. I also agree with your point about our generation of writers. A lot of teenagers I know are addicted to the whole 'Love at first sight' philosophy. That's another thing I dislike about a lot of these stories. I tried to keep his relationship with Anna out of the range of love because I didn't think it was love. I thought it was just an interest that Gabriel felt comfortable in. I'm trying to move things slow with him and Mina because it would be very OOC to have them grabbing each other immediately.

_**THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! YOUR COMMENTS MAKE MY DAY BRIGHTER AND MY FINGERS FASTER AT GETTING CHAPTERS UP!**_


	11. Interrogation

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. There was no infringement of copyright laws intended. This is an amateur effort. No money was made off this story.

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Chapter 11: Interrogation

"It's up here somewhere." She said, holding out the gas lamp to search through the dusty attic. Gabriel felt his eyes water the second he entered the attic area, finding it so filled with cobwebs and dirt that he could barely breathe. Mina coughed pleasantly and waded through the boxes and books that could be found there. She set the lamp down on an old piano wrapped in canvas and tied with baling twine. He stepped into it as if it were another world, finding inside it everything that Mina had obviously hidden away from long ago and either chose to forget about or simply forgot about over the years. He found the shadows on the wall rather frightening, created by the mannequin that was stalking Mina and two rats that scurried quickly away from the light. Mina pushed off the old boxes and carried away the old papers to reveal a carefully engraved hope chest. She blew off the dust which rose like a melancholic gray cloud and made her cough. She made a fist in front of her mouth and hacked away at the debris in her trachea. Before she had fully recovered she opened the chest.

Gabriel looked inside, finally reaching her side, discovering the back of the chest pinned with paper clippings and written letters. Some she slid her hand over anxiously, pulling them off and sliding them under the white fabric within the chest itself with a small and bashful smile. He knelt down with her. The lightning flashed for a moment, illuminating the room with a brilliant white light. Her face gleamed almost like a corpse. His own was darker, but still gave off the illusion that he was dead, just as much as she.

The inside of the chest looked normal enough. It was a woman's treasury, filled with a small crown of flowers that had dried and frayed over the years almost to the point that it was dust. Next to it was folded white fabric he found when she pulled it from the box was a wedding gown. The pieces of paper she had hid from him went with it.

Once she had removed the top layer that hope chest's mood changed. Underneath it was an odd supply of weapons (most likely where she had got the pistol from). There were several wooden stakes, two other pistols, boxes of bullets, an assortment of hunting knives, and a small silver crucifix at the top, lying with the knives. He caught sight of the engraving on it and reached for it, not stopped by Mina at all. She looked as if she wanted him to see it.

Gabriel pulled the crucifix out. He remembered the cold feeling of it in his hands, or one just like it. It was strange but he remembered this, held out in front of him, the sound of something hissing in the darkness sadistically with a sharp and bright grin. Their lips curled around glistening fangs. The woman in white was not going to come quietly and instead decided to threaten him with her deadly good looks.

He turned it around and found the marking under his fingers. The small engraving was faded over the years but still legible after a moment. He squinted in the poor light and found the words, "Van Helsing."

"It was the only thing Jonathan kept of yours." She said quietly, slumped against the hope chest with one arm crooked over the open lid to keep her self up. Her bare feet poked out of the base of the dress, the hem hanging between her slender ankles and curling between her toes. Gabriel continued to look at it, transfixed by it. "He wanted it. He felt it brought protection just on its own."

There was the sound of objects shuffling, drawing his attention back to her. Mina's hair tossed over her shoulder as she turned back to him with a journal, the edges bound in wax from a candle to prevent it from being opened.

"This was his journal." She said, handing it to him. Again the guilt passed over him, just as it had done when he put on the man's shirt. He felt as if he were walking over Jonathan Harker's grave. He was sleeping in his house. He was wearing his things. He was looking at his personal effects in an attic with his barely clothed wife. It seemed as if Jonathan's happiness was slowly becoming his own. Gabriel felt a chill move down his spine at the thought of Jonathan watching this scene from beyond the grave, his lips curling in anger slightly at the sight of his beautiful wife in her night clothes speaking with a man who was not her husband and she had not seen in years.

Of course, Gabriel could not even remember what Jonathan looked like, but the chill still moved down his spine slowly. He held the journal back to her. Mina looked from it back to him.

"I thought you might like to read it?" She said, pushing it back to him slightly. "My husband would not mind. He would want you to have seen it…again." She added in the final word a little hesitantly. He took back the old book and pealed the covered open from the wax, finding it opened quite easily. The pages were sealed and unable to be opened. But Mina kept watching him, waiting for him to look within the worn pages of her husband's life.

He finally pealed away the first page without ripping it, discovering that the pages inside were loose and able to turn freely. Gabriel's eyes skimmed through the words, Budapest, the dates, the carriage…He flipped closer to the end and Mina's eyes continued to stare at him. He glanced up at her, finding that a tear was working its way from the far corner of her eye to her chin, falling slowly down her cheek. She didn't seem to notice it, shrinking back from the look he was giving her. He was reaching towards her only to have her shy away and wipe it with her white sleeve.

"Sorry." She said. Gabriel didn't understand why she was apologizing. He closed the diary.

"I don't remember any of this." He said. "Just…fragments." Mina nodded.

"I know." She said quietly. "I suppose I just want you to remember."

"Why?" He asked her. Mina shrugged a little. She looked at him.

"I don't know." She said sincerely, shaking her head a little with a small, saddened laugh. "I really don't know. I just feel like you should recall this so you…so you acted as if we knew each other. It's silly…"

"No. It's not." He said, trying to keep her talking. "It's not silly at all."

"It is silly." She replied.

"It's not." He told her.

There was silence. They hadn't noticed how close they had moved to each other, her face just inches from his. The light streamed across her cheeks, her breath moving slowly on his neck and under his chin, causing his hair to ripple slightly.

The small window behind them burst open with a gust of wind and a million voices filled the room. The rain struck the gas lamp full force, knocking it to the ground and causing a fire to spread in a complete circle on the floor. Mina rushed to it, extinguishing the flames with her skirt. She pressed it over the fire quickly, assisted by Gabriel when he could make it over with a pile of canvas he had discovered next to the chest. Once the fire was out he could focus on the voices that had filled the room, searching for something.

Mina's eyes twitched. She ran for the chest in hopes to grab a pistol but the lid slammed down, nearly taking off her fingers if Gabriel had not pulled her back at the last minute. Small whizzes of colour danced about the room and tiny voices were spinning around, speaking so quickly they could not understand. Unfortunately with the open window more continued to flood inside. Mina reached for the chest again and felt a sharp pain as something dug its teeth into her flesh.

There was a small shriek. In an explosion of dust the invisible creature died. Mina ripped back her hand as the cut healed in moments.

"Come on." He said, pushing her towards the stairs. The trap door leading down to the rest of the house slammed shut and more laughing could be heard. Gabriel kicked the area clean and bent down this time, opening the door so quickly the creatures did not have time to bite him. They did trail after Mina and him down the stairs, occasionally sinking their sharp teeth in his flesh, straight through his shirt and pants. Mina was thankfully free of their fangs, but she was at the mercy of their claws to her hair. They still could not be seen, but she cried out at the feeling of several of them yanking at her scalp. She batted her hands around before being pulled down to the main level by Gabriel, where Carl was busy dealing with his own faerie problem.

He found the time to toss Gabriel his gun before more of his items were snatched from him and held over his head. He jumped for them in the living room, reaching up to the floating stakes and bullets he carried with him. Gabriel began firing at the objects in the air, unable to see them, but he could hear them whenever they giggled or shrieked.

Books were tossed off the shelves and the glass tubes and vials were shattered by the giggling faeries. Mina grabbed Gabriel's pistol from under his pillow, cocking it quickly and aiming at one of Morgan's servants.

"Not that one!" He shouted, but it was too late. Mina had already fired, causing a glass bullet to fly from the chamber. It impaled two faeries on its way to the wall, but caused a giant circle of flame to erupt on the wall.

"I told you not to fire that one!" He shouted.

"I didn't have much of a choice!" She shouted back at him. Carl stopped leaping for his things and grabbed a box from his sleeve.

"Here!" He shouted, tossing them to Mina. She caught them before the faeries did and dumped the exploding bullets from the gun before filling it with the bullets Carl had given her. "Shoot them at the wall!"

She did as she was instructed. Large flashes of blue were seen around the room as frost spread from their points of impact in her wall, stopping the fire. Gabriel heard the voices grow more urgent and he turned, the sword that Carl had brought for him drawn from the sheath and the faeries giggled, laughing about their mistress being pleased with them.

Mina fired the bullets at them, catching two in orbs of solid ice. They tumbled to the ground, the glass shattering. A single faerie was broken into a million tiny pieces when it struck the ground, the tiny blue limbs still twitching as it slid around the room. The other remained in tact, the piece of ice around his head breaking and cracking so it could begin to escape. The third could not lift the sword by itself. It found it even harder to hold onto when Gabriel grabbed it from its clutches and ripped it from its hands.

The voices shrieked and were called back. The front door burst wide open and the millions of servants were called home to their mistress's call. The lightning cracked and snapped through the sky, startling the three as the room became as light as day. It disappeared along with the slamming of the door, along with the voices.

The last of Carl's belongings dropped to the ground around him. He scurried to pick them up but it was impossible to find them in the mess that surrounded them. Papers and books were scattered everywhere. Broken glass shards were found all around the tables and strange chemicals festered in her carpet and gave an extremely odd odor. Mina sighed deeply at the state of her home. Gabriel held tightly to the sword, eyeing it carefully before looking around the room. Carl put his hands on his hips.

"Good God, I hate faeries." He said.

"I can see why." Gabriel said, looking at the state of the room.

Mina looked down at the floor, finding half the orb of ice moving slowly out into her hallway and to the door. She followed it, bending down and picked it up before turning it over.

It was a small winged creature with a blue body and face. It had large eyes and sharpened teeth and claws that lashed out angrily at her. Its ears were like fans, open to even the smallest of sounds. She jerked back when she saw it growl at her, biting at her and shouting with a long line of obscenities that she did end up taking offense to.

"Let me go you…"

He didn't even finish his sentence before Mina flicked him with a sharpened fingernail. He growled again and grabbed his face, screaming out so loudly that she had to drop him to the floor and grab her ears. He tried crawling away again, only to find that Gabriel snatched him up next by the arm and held him in the air with the large barrel of a gun pointed at him.

"Oh! Think you're so strong because you have a gun? That must make you in charge."

Gabriel cocked the gun. The faerie shut up rather quickly.

"Are you going to tell me why you and you're friends decided to attack here or do I have to force it out of you?" The faerie laughed in its shrill voice.

"Like I'm going to tell you." It said, its voice dripping with sarcasm. "Besides if you kill me you're out of luck."

"Fine." Gabriel said. "I won't kill you. But I'm sure both Miss. Harker and Carl have devices and reasons to make you start speaking." A mischievous gleam was in his eye, one which made the faerie stare up into the three faces of his captors.

* * *

The faerie let out another scream as it was dropped back under the water. Carl had come up with the contraption rather quickly, with a small amount of help from Mina. The faerie's ankles were tied with a heavy piece of iron and his arms were held by Carl on a piece of string. Every time he refused to answer a question he was dunked back under the water.

Carl's knowledge of faerie's exceeded what he had told Gabriel at the Vatican. He determined that this faerie was a wind spirit, seeing as how it traveled with the currents of wind. His invisibility was not self induced, but actually controlled by Morgan who most likely controlled him while he was invisible. Now that she had the rest of her servants back she probably assumed this one dead rather than being tortured in Mina Harker's kitchen in a water bath.

He was pulled from the water again, still shrieking loudly. Mina had her ears covered now every time it surfaced from the noise it made with her heightened sense of hearing. She winced painfully at it. He saw how much it pained her and continued.

"This isn't getting anywhere." Carl said, and without warning, dropped the faerie back under the water.

The faerie sunk to the bottom of the tank, and Carl showed no indication that he was ever going to let it back up again. He walked away from it to both Mina and Gabriel. She was still gripping her ears, trying to regain some of her hearing, while Gabriel was staring at the faerie as it struggled to break free.

"Just keep an eye on it for a moment." Gabriel said, watching the faerie in the bottom of the jar. It choked on the water, unable to breath from the air loss. He was struggling for the surface, his blue wings pounding viciously against the water. Carl's brow furrowed angrily at it, already angry that he had to be in the same room with such a thing. Gabriel still watched it but did nothing more.

Eventually the faerie started struggling so violently the large glass container was pushed on the surface of the table slowly inching towards the edge. That was when Van Helsing marched over and in one swift movement snatched the faerie out of the water and held it open to the air for a moment. His feet were still under the surface. He was not screaming anymore, his lung filled with water as his body convulsing and coughed it all out.

"ALRIGHT!" He said loudly between coughs. "YOU WIN! I'll talk…"

"Why did Morgan send you here?" Gabriel asked him.

"Morgan?" The faerie asked, confused. "Who's Morgan?"  
Gabriel dropped him back into the water. The faerie was screaming silently under water, his breath so strong the whole surface of the water was bubbling till it was white. Gabriel finally pulled it up again and the faerie let out a loud cough for a second.

"OKAY! Morgan. I know Morgan. She sent us here because...." The faerie didn't finish the statement. He pulled himself up to Gabriel's hand and bit it hard.

Gabriel didn't hesitate this time. He dropped his hand back in the bowl. Water flowed over the edges of the container while blood flowed freely inside, drifting out from the cut that the faerie was still latched onto. After a moment it let go, dropping back off Gabriel to the bottom of the bowl. The monster hunter, now very aggravated with their prisoner grabbed the creature around the waist and pulled him back up to the surface, crushing down on the small and no doubt fragile bones of the faerie.

"You have one last chance to tell me before I crush you."  
"You're going to kill me anyways!" The faerie snapped back as it struggled to breathe.

"No." Gabriel said sternly, his voice growing louder. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. "I won't kill you if you tell me why she sent you here."

"Oh like I know."

"Fine." Gabriel said, tightening his grip. The faerie's eyes widened as he realized that Van Helsing would actually kill him.

"The sword…" He managed. Gabriel released him. Mina and Carl moved in and watched him.

"What about the sword?" Gabriel asked him calmly. The faerie groaned and coughed.

"She wants the sword." He said. "The one with the piece of Excalibur in it is the one she wants."

Gabriel looked up at Carl and then at Mina. Carl's mouth opened in shock before he looked at the dagger and came to a startling realization. The faerie was dropped back into the water while Carl grabbed the smaller blade from Gabriel's side and lifted it up to the light, pulling it from the sheath.

"Of course!" Carl said. "It's an unbreakable alloy! It makes perfect sense!"  
"Mind filling us in on what makes sense?" Gabriel asked him, looking at the faerie at the bottom of the water jar. He was still struggling with his bonds. Carl ran his fingers along the ridge down the middle of the blade where the two metals met. He smiled to himself.

"It appears as if there's something extra grafted into this blade Van Helsing." He said.

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Author's Notes: This weekend I might not have a lot of time to write. Silly Psychology and American History classes. I have a few year end projects due so it's going to be a fun ride. Thank you to all the reviewers! These are some of the most reviews I have ever received on a single story and I'm so happy!

Reviews:

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: I totally agree. I like this Van Helsing because I'm a 'new age' violence girl. I need the gorgeous muscular guys running around with a wide assortment of weapons every now and then.

Ouch! Mina gets bitten three times by Dracula! That's got to be a pain in the neck. Alright, that was a really bad pun. Sorry about that I couldn't resist.

Thanks for the comment about the plot! It's actually inspired by some original fiction I'm working on, but I found that the story worked much better for this. There's some more Mina/Gabriel at the beginning of this chapter, but I'm not going to have them do anything just yet. I think it's cute to wait it out.

**_Mandolin_**: Thank you for your support! I don't really want to write exams and I just want this year to be over. Courses are killing me and summer is coming! And then I remember that I'm getting a job. L. Anyways, the support is great and I'm happy that you're enjoying the story.

In a response to your second review: I wonder just what Carl could cart around in his robes. I mean, they looked a little too big for him in the movie. Perhaps there is something that he is not telling us? Also, I will have to add in the idea about Jinette finding out about the bar maid. I've already worked in a semi-plausible situation in which it could happen (but not until the end!)

**_Saerry Snape_**: I hate to disappoint you but in the first volume of the League there is no Dorian Gray. I was shocked because I saw the movie before I read the story and found no Tom either (I love Shane West!)! It is a very worthwhile book just the same. Although I loved Mina, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde was my favourite character. I have a copy of Dracula now so I hope to get reading it! Just as soon as I finish Battle Royale…Oh, so many books, so little time.

**_EvilspoofauthorSven_**: Out of town? Lucky you. I'm still stuck in my town. Thank you for the information about Gabriel being Abraham's brother! That answers a lot of questions. For the record though, I'll still work this story under the assumption that Gabriel is Abraham.

**_Summer Knight_**: The Many Faces of Van Helsing? I must go to Chapters and find it. I'm a book junkie. I will find it if I have to go to the ends of the Earth. Well, maybe not that far. I heard that too, that Gabriel was Abraham's brother. That's actually an interesting take on the story, but I'm still connecting him to Abraham.

**_Scholar_**: Silly Morgan. This chapter answers the question everyone was probably losing sleep over. David Wenham was fabulous in Lord of the Rings as Faramir! Do you want to know something scary? Watch Moulin Rouge and look for the character Audrey. That's David Wenham, and you will not recognize him! I swear!

**_Grissom_**: That's the scene I gathered the most inspiration from because I couldn't see him simply smiling and saying, "You're hot. Let's go make out." You're right, his heart does lie with his duty. He is very dedicated and that's another idea that made the movie refreshing was that he was not constantly looking at Kate Beckinsale and thinking about the above statement.

I agree with you completely about slash! It's not me being against homosexuals. I just can't imagine Male Pregnancy and Gabriel actually condoning to any act where he and Dracula are naked together (shudder). No offence to anyone who chooses to write that way, since it is your choice entirely.

The final part of your review reminded me that I have to get my hands on the novelization of Van Helsing. The only problem: I have to order it into our bookstore (eye twitch).

**_HyperCaz_**: Don't feel bad about your French. I stopped taking it after Grade 9, but all you really need to know is: Parlez-vous Anglais? And Je ne comprende pas. Je ne parle pas Francais (I apologize to anyone who can speak and write in French for my terrible grammar in the language. I commend any and all who have mastered it). I've seen two Dracula movies. The first was Mel Brooks' Dracula: Dead and Loving it (which I loved) and the second was the Francis Ford Coppola one which I was extremely disturbed by.

**_J_**: I wanted to make her sired by Dracula. Originally the story was supposed to be that Morgan had trapped a part of Dracula inside her and she was going to kill Morgan to break the spell, but I figured that was very much like the whole "Anna comes back from the dead" story and I avoided it. Otherwise I would have wanted to stay true to the story because I was pretty sure that Mina was bitten by Dracula beforehand. I'm glad you aren't angry or upset about the change in events!

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: Exams suck. I have four of them this semester and the only two that are looking okay are Psychology and American History. Calculus is going to kill me and I mean that quite literally, and I'm already slipping in Biology so that one will be jolly good. I'm glad you're enjoying it!

**_Doodily Doo_**: I love your name! It's fun to type out. Anyways…I hope this chapter was just as good. The faerie wasn't too far fetched was it?

**_Shadowsage_**: Thank you for not revealing what secrets of the story! Infernally interesting huh? Thank you! I try! (Takes a bow)  
**_Vampire Princess, Morwinda_**: Morgan is a very fickle character. My own interpretation is that she brought Camelot down by sleeping with Arthur. Imagine. You bear a child who is the illegitimate son of the King. It would put Morgan in a position of power if she was bearing the King's son rather than Guinevere (who Morgan disliked). If you read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Morgan is described as wanting to make a fool out of her brother's court (She succeeds by the way). Some people even disagree with the idea of Morgan bearing Mordrid, and say it was a mistake made with another character. Either way, it was a power play for Morgan to have the child of the King. That's my interpretation from everything I've read and there are many different versions of Morgan le Fay.

Exams do suck! They take away from my writing time!

**_Naitriab_**: I would hope everyone loves Carl. He was needed in the story just for that little bit of extra laughter. He was awesome.

**_THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH! I hope this chapter was worth the wait (for those who are returning). And for those who have just started, I hope you are enjoying it. Thank you!_**

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	12. Killing Those Who Cannot Be Killed

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringing on copyright laws. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

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Chapter 12: Killing Those Who Cannot Be Killed

"It makes sense. I couldn't understand what kind of metal could be melted and forged into a blade that couldn't break, no matter what conditions it was placed under." Carl said, still running his fingers along the core of visibly different metal. He struck the pommel, the blade fanning out from the centre once again to give him a better look at the blade itself as his eyes shone. He looked like a child who had just received a new toy for Christmas. "But it makes perfect sense."

Gabriel and Mina waited for him to elaborate. They didn't have to wait long. He continued as he moved the blade through his hands dangerously. Gabriel took a step back as he flipped the blade around in his hands and Mina was forced to duck when he slashed it at her carelessly, so quickly it nearly caused her to lose some blood. Carl glanced at her as she stood back up and watched him, still waiting for him to continue.

"Walker must have sent his shard of Excalibur to a place where it could be protected." He said.

"The Vatican would be the best place for that." Gabriel added, finally drawing the same conclusions. Harold Walker most likely never kept the blade from his grandfather. He was more than likely just a decoy to leave Morgan without the twentieth blade. What Harold probably did do (or one of his family members before him) was sent the blade to the Vatican where it was misplaced and re-forged by Carl into the dagger he had brought with him to Van Helsing in London. The shard was probably extracted and stretched into the core of the blade by Carl who had been none the wiser at the time.

"Morgan will not be happy to have discovered that the blade in her possession is not hers." Mina added, entranced by the blade.

"That would explain her small temper tantrum a moment ago." Gabriel mentioned. Carl re-sheathed the blade and handed it back to Van Helsing. He took it from Carl quickly and tightened his fingers around it until his knuckles were white. Mina looked at the still struggling shape of the faerie in the bottom of the glass container and crossed her arms.

"What are we going to do with him?" She asked.

"We could just leave him there." Carl replied. Gabriel was surprised at his response. Carl was not often so quick to insinuate the killing of a creature. He was often the one who was lecturing Gabriel about doing so.

"Now, now Carl. I think I have a few more uses for him before that happens." He walked over to the glass container and pulled the small creature out from under the bloodied water. Some of his blood still floated around in swirling clouds around the faerie. Mina looked away quickly. The movement went unnoticed by Carl as she broke out in a small sweat before turning back and looking at the small moving object on the table, coughing and hacking the water from his lungs.

He gave weak cries but they were nowhere near the volume they had reached minutes before. Mina winced whenever he opened his mouth and her fists tightened until her tendons were white in her knuckles and well defined in the light. The faerie saw this and gave a sadistic grin, opening his mouth wide before taking a deep breath.

Mina had lost all her patience when he almost cried out this time. Before he could utter a syllable she had grabbed him round the midriff and pelted him so hard against the wall the clump of iron was embedded into the wall. The faerie gave a small squawk before he fell, stopping a few feet from the floor from the rope about his legs attached to the ball of iron. She received odd looks from both Carl and Van Helsing's (Carl's eyes seemed to shine with glee, but this went unnoticed). She took a deep breath and regained her usual stoic composure with her shoulder back and spine straightened.

"It was a moment of weakness." She said. "Sorry."

Gabriel got up and moved to the swinging form of the faerie hanging against the wall. He took out his pistol and cocked it, the faerie's large eyes staring blankly into the wide abyss of the barrel. He blinked and cringed, growling like a small dog before lashing out like a rabid one. He bounced against the wall, back and forth, his mouth moving a hundred miles a minute with inane growls and shouts of obscenities. Gabriel pushed him against the wall with his gun and remained very still.

"Let me go you whoreson!" The faerie shouted angrily, still growling with his sharpened teeth bared in anger and frustration. "I'll never tell you anything else! You'll have to boil me in oil and rip out my eyes!"

"I can arrange for that." Carl said. Mina's eyes narrowed and she glanced at him in confusion, as did Gabriel. He shrunk back a little and pretended he hadn't said anything. Gabriel turned his attention back to the faerie.

"Well you could wait for us to do that or you could tell me something without my friend having to do anything unnatural to you." Gabriel said. "Of course the choice is yours. Personally a bullet seems much more of a relief since it's quicker." The faerie's body went rigid as he thought of a bullet going into him. Gabriel seemed serious enough to do it. His mouth tightened.

"So will you start talking or do I have to start boiling some oil?"

The faerie seemed to think this over very carefully. He knew screaming would not get him out of this mess. Sighing deeply he finally nodded, hoping the gun would be taken from his face. Gabriel didn't move.

"First: What does Morgan want the swords for?"  
"I don't know."

The faerie saw Gabriel's finger tense on the weapon. He finally frantically changed his answer.

"She keeps talking about some kind of ritual." He said with a small sob. "That's all I know. She wouldn't say anything else."

"Are you sure?" Gabriel asked him, pushing the gun against his face until his head was inside the barrel of the gun. Had Gabriel fired the bullet would have gone straight through the wall and into the floor in the living room on the other side. When he removed it, there would be nothing left of the faerie except a headless corpse. The faerie nodded and shouted a yes.

"Second: How do you kill her?"  
"I don't know."

"Tell me!" He shouted now, irritated with this frivolous interrogation. The faerie quivered. He shut his eyes tightly.

"I honestly don't. She never told us how to kill Mab either." He said finally, still trembling in fear. Gabriel groaned and stood up finally, pulling the gun away and turned to Mina and Carl.

"I need to know how to kill her." He said finally.

"I'll wire the Vatican and see if they found anything else." Carl said.

"I had several books on the subject that needed translating. My study of Ancient Runes never went far enough to decipher anything." She told them.

"I can start there then. I don't imagine going outside is a particularly good idea after what happened this morning." He said, leaving the kitchen for the living room. He hesitated a moment, glancing at their prisoner with an 'evil eye', his brow furrowed over his left eye in anger. Gabriel grabbed the clump of iron off the wall and held the faerie up, spinning by his legs in the air.

"What should we do with him now?" Mina asked. Gabriel looked at him, still cursing at Van Helsing with a tongue fouler than most he had ever heard.

"I'm not sure." Gabriel said. "He's not quite evil is he?"

"That's a matter of opinion!" Carl shouted from the living room, digging through the hundreds of books Mina had in her possession. They could hear him picking up volumes of ancient books that were filled with documents Jonathan had bought for her.

"He isn't very useful." Mina pointed out.

"No, he isn't."

"LET ME GO!" He shrieked so loudly that Mina's ears were ringing again. Gabriel quickly tossed him back into the water, silencing him. Mina grabbed her ears in pain, her eyes closing so tightly crocodile tears started to seep between her lids. He came closer to her, as he had in the attic, so close that the voices in his head ordered him to slow slightly and just stand there, watching her, mesmerized with the woman he couldn't remember but the feelings he couldn't forget.

It wasn't love. It went deeper than that. It was a friendship that had aged over time and lain dormant inside him, never acted upon. He placed a hand on her shoulder, a movement that caused her to open her eyes and pull her hands from her ears and stare at him.

She wanted so much for it to be Jonathan again with his short, cleanly cut hair and soft, charming blue eyes. She wanted him there in his pressed shirt, placing his hand on her shoulder as they stood in silence and allowed the world simply to exist around them.

But when she opened her eyes it wasn't Jonathan. It wasn't the man she had come to sleep and wake with. It was the hunter she had been astounded with years ago. It was just Gabriel Van Helsing with his long dark curls and dark brown eyes, staring at her just as intently as they had in the alley when he had been questioning her about her vampirism.

Mina sighed deeply, staring at him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She placed a hand on his cheek, feeling his skin tense when she laid her cold palm on him.

His hand slid from her shoulder. She hung her head in some kind of shame and pulled her hand from him before nodding slowly in melancholic understanding. He couldn't have her. And if he could, why would he want her? She was a vampire. There was no happiness for a creature such as her. No sunlight and no joy for one as damned as she. Gabriel Van Helsing could never have such a thing: immortal but damned.

"Excuse me." Mina said, flustered and embarrassed. She fled from the kitchen with her skirt in her hands. Gabriel closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the situation crashing down on him as Mina's feet pounded their way up the stairs to her bedroom. He breathed deeply, finally opening his eyelids and looking up at the ceiling. He heard a door slam shut, not as hard as he thought Mina meant for it to be, but he heard it slam just as the same. The sky was falling down on him and starting to crush him under the weight.

He turned back to the doorway and walked into the living room. Carl was neatly arranging books in alphabetical order and sorting them into different piles. Science was being placed in a neat stack on the right of the room while philosophy went on the left. On the couch was a growing pile of ancient Runes, namely the ones Mina had been talking about. He was mumbling to himself about the nuisance of faeries, reminding Gabriel of the one in the kitchen. He quickly went there and took the faerie from the water, placing him on the kitchen table. It took him seconds to spill the container of water into the lane behind Mina's house before tipping it over the faerie again, holding him inside. Gabriel, his work finished, returned to the living room. Carl was still sorting books.

"I would love to get my hands on some of these books." Carl said, shifting through the sea of fallen books to continue sorting.

"You've lived in the Vatican, Carl. There has to be a good enough selection there." Gabriel leaned against the door frame.

"Yes, however it does have its limits. You don't often find books commemorating the Pagan Goddess in the Vatican." Carl said, picking up a stack of five or six books and placing them over to the left. He waded back through them and picked up a book with hieroglyphics on the front.   
"You also don't find volumes about Egyptian tombs either." He said, opening up to the first page and flipping through it. Gabriel smiled wistfully at the curious friar, always searching through things that just made him think of bigger and better things. He had been working on a flying machine for years, according to the monks and friars at the Vatican. Gabriel furrowed his brow as a thought dawned upon him. Carl didn't often mention his inventions personally to Van Helsing. He normally allowed Gabriel to discover them through other people.

_Come to think of it, I don't know almost anything about Carl_.

Carl picked up another couple of books and placed them neatly in the science area of the room. Gabriel breathed deeply, thinking back to the kitchen with a sigh as he remembered Mina's face just inches from his, her hand on his cheek before it slid from his face and her cheeks became pink with her feelings of unworthiness.

The friar stopped and looked at Van Helsing.

"You're not feeling entirely well are you?" He asked with no explanation. Carl had that ability to sense Gabriel's moments of weakness. He had the uncanny ability to read Van Helsing whenever he was sick or tired. Often he stayed quiet, but if he knew the threat was minimal he mentioned it. Gabriel shook his head.

"I'm fine Carl." He replied.

"Well you're certainly not that." Carl retorted with a small laugh, placing another book in the philosophy pile. "How badly were you wounded?" He asked. Mina had told him when he first arrived but Gabriel had assured him he was fine over and over again until Carl finally left the issue. Now he was ignoring the wound. It seemed to be working unless someone mentioned it, and then the pain just started to flare to life again. He shook his head again to clear it.

"It's just a scratch Carl. It's nothing."

"When was the last time you changed the bandages?" He asked with the air of a mother. He was starting to get irritated with that tone of voice. Mina had used it on him while she was stitching up his wounds and changing his bandages. Now Carl was using it. He was not some kind of child! He was Gabriel Van Helsing, expert monster hunter and protector of the innocent. He was not afraid of any confrontation and could wield almost any weapon imaginable…

And he found himself sitting on the couch as Carl changed his bandages a moment later.

* * *

The voices surrounded the house like a thick blanket within seconds, joining the other members of her council and her other subjects with frightened voices that were shrieking and crying. Some were weeping so hard she could barely make out those who were in their right state of mind and ready to speak to her.

She was outside in the back yard, standing on the mosaic tiles by the fountain that was erected by the form occupants of the house. She was close to her kingdom here with the wind in her hair and the leaves surrounding her from the various trees. The blossoms had long since fallen and the leaves were hanging off the branches with their last strength. The wind whispered frustrations as it tried hard to blow them off and make way for the snow she knew was eventually coming.

Surrounded by her Goddess, she listened intently. They were explaining as calmly as they could that Gabriel would not let them take the sword and that it was virtually impossible to grab it from them. Morgan kept some composure during their long explanation, attempting to tell her why they were returning empty handed. She cursed at them reminding them that they could have taken it had they really wanted to. She marched back into the house and up the stairs to her room.

Morgan was dressed in black again. She took up her sword from the chest at the foot of the bed, folding back the red cloth from around the sharp broad sword before picking it up. It was a magnificent weapon, forged by the Gods and gifted to her brother from the Lady of the Lake. She remembered how she felt when she had gifted it to Accolon. It felt like success was finally hers.

_And then Accolon decided to start talking._ He lips curled into a spiteful curve.

The window opened and a subject appeared, asking quietly for an audience with her. Morgan's lips tightened and without a word, the faerie continued. The words moved directly to her ears. The news made her sardonic scowl curve upward into a cruel smile. Maliciously she took the sword and went to the window, kissing her servant tenderly before taking off on the wind.

* * *

_"Carl?" He spun around from his work too quickly and caused several glass vials to fall on the floor. The monk seemed to be aware of Carl's magnetic energy that simply called catastrophe to him. He was standing far enough back that the tiny explosions that erupted at Carl's feet did not affect him. There were shouts and screams from startled monks as they did not see the explosions coming._

_ Carl, with his face now blackened leaned over to the monk who crossed his arms. "The Cardinal wishes to speak with you." He said. Carl nodded and pulled off his strange looking hat, placing it on the appropriate stand. He looked rather ridiculous. His face was blacked in a neat line around his face and around his eyes from where the hat had protected. He walked through the stunned looking men to the office at the back of the vast room._

_ Jinette was given an office that also served as a bedroom for him. As a man of God, Jinette demanded very little. He lived a life of servitude to God, a difficult position seeing as how he actually ordered the deaths of creatures under his Lord's dominion. Carl had great respect for such a dedicated man._

_ He didn't even get time to knock, seeing as how Jinette was in the hallway to the bedchambers of the monks and friars. He was outside the door of the stranger, looking still respectable in his red robes and his hand on the door handle, hesitating to go inside._

_ "Friar Carl." He began. They forgot about the respectful way to greet a person in a position of religious power. Carl would have kissed the ring on Jinette's finger before uttering a word. Jinette disliked this tradition. He was proud but he was not big headed enough to demand monks and friars kiss his ring. He knew everyone's faith in the Knights of the Holy Order was devout enough that they need not prove it. "I need to reassign you temporarily. You have heard of the stranger found on the steps of the Vatican just two nights ago, did you not?" Carl nodded. It was his only response. Jinette continued._

_ "I am asking that you watch over him for a while." Jinette opened the door a crack to reveal the man in the bed, his bare chest bandaged up to his shoulders. His face and body were covered in sweat as he twisted lifelessly, caught in some kind of nightmare. Carl's jaw dropped but the door was closed again in front of him. Jinette didn't like people staring._

_ "I thought he was dead." Jinette rolled his eyes. Rumours like that could be passed, even in a place filled with people who were deemed too mature for them._

_ "He is alive. Perhaps not well, but alive just the same." Jinette replied. "I need you to make sure he stays that way. The physicians have assured me he is fully sedated and will not wake up for hours. They have also assured me that his condition will keep him immobile."_

_ "That's comforting…" Carl didn't sound very comforted._

_ "You have nothing to fear Carl. He will not wake." Jinette said. Carl nodded and the door was opened again for him._

_ When the door was opened fully Carl saw a friar in the chair by the bed. He was brown haired and brown eyed, seated nervously and on edge by the injured man. His eyes were glossy with fear. Jinette was very concerned and asked him what was wrong._

_ The friar spoke quickly and quietly, standing and walking to the door._

_ "Cardinal, you told me to tell you if anything unusual were to happen." He said. Jinette nodded. "Well for the past few minutes he has been speaking in his sleep."_

_ "What has he said?" Jinette asked. The friar took a deep breath, worriedly recalling what the man had been mumbling incoherently about._

_ "He speaks about the Holy Wars, Cardinal. He mumbled something about being a Knight in the Crusades and for a moment he seemed as if he was waking up."  
Carl's heart rate jumped._

_ "Impossible…" Jinette said. "Will you go summon the physician?" The friar nodded and took off down the hall. The Cardinal moved to the bed where the man was sleeping almost pleasantly. His face tensed every now and then, an action he was told by the physician would be impossible. The pain killers that he had been injected with would virtually paralyze him. They were created so that if he did awake he would lack the strength to harm anyone. _

_ "Cardinal!" A voice summoned from outside. The friar ran back, breathing heavily. "I cannot find the physician."_

_ Jinette tore his attention from the man in the bed. He got up and walked to the door, telling the friar he was coming, leaving Carl alone in the room._

_ Carl's heart was pounding a million miles a minute. Come on Carl, he thought to himself. The door's open and the Cardinal is only a few steps away. What could possibly go wrong?_

_ He looked from the door back to the bed and was suddenly grabbed a mysterious force that knocked him back and into the wall. The man from the bed groaned loudly and keeled over onto his knees, his arms just barely holding him up. Carl was on the ground gasping for breath, making a grab for his throat. His movements on the floor issued the attention of the man on the bed. His dark hair hung around his shoulders and stuck to the small amount of stubble on his chin. His wild eyes looked up under a layer of dark hair at the man on the floor. He tried to get up and get to Carl, his breathing raspy and his mind reeling. There were rushed footsteps in the hall and a quick, airy sound before the man was on his back on the bed, reaching limply for the dart that stuck out of his ribs._

_ Carl felt his throat start to swell. So much for the paralyzing effect of the drug, he thought to himself as he sat up._

* * *

"Carl?" Gabriel asked. He looked over his shoulder. The friar had tugged the bandage too tightly and breathing was becoming a chore. The shorter man shook himself awake from his vigil and looked over at Van Helsing. He coughed to show that Carl's bandage was cutting into his air supply.

"Oh." Carl said in surprise, pulling his fingers at Gabriel's back to loosen the bandage. Gabriel winced and groaned softly but stubbornly refused to cry out at all. _As usual, _Carl thought and tied the bandage off to keep it on.

There was the sound of glass breaking upstairs. Gabriel's head shot up quickly. He grabbed the shirt off the couch and stood up, pulling it over his shoulders.

He stopped in the middle of his movement and felt the undeniable presence of Morgan upstairs. Her power and her immortality were moving through his veins like some kind of drug. He dashed to the stairs with Carl hot on his heels, running up with his mind racing with thoughts while his fingers buttoned up the shirt.

The first time he had been upstairs they only went into one room. He had assumed it was Mina's bedroom but he found that the room was empty when he opened the door and inspected it. The dust reached his nostrils but he suppressed the cough as he ran to the other side of the wooden hall and whipped open the door.

Mina's bedroom (as he assumed it was) was nothing but blankets laid out on the floor thick enough that it was a sufficient mattress. The window was shattered and small glass shards were on the floor of the room, scattered in all directions as Morgan stood with her sword drawn and at the ready. Gabriel blinked, unsure of why he saw blood dripping from the blade.

His eyes were drawn to a body on the floor. Mina pushed herself up on her arms as the wound on her chest healed almost immediately.

Morgan's eyes gleamed.

"I thought at first they were lying Mina. But it appears as if you will have a purpose after all." She said, reaching out her right hand. Gabriel reached for his belt and found only the Excalibur dagger there. His hand was filled with a pistol that Carl was carrying around, and he fired quickly at Morgan.

She turned her hand on him, stopping the bullets in midair and reaching her power into him. His limbs felt as if they were on fire but he maintained composure and dropped, tripping Carl to take him down as well. Mina was on her feet a moment later, gripping the wall for support as she breathed heavily, choking on her own breath.

Her eyes opened. And electric blue glow radiated from her pupil. Her canines elongated and became elegantly pointed as she hissed. Gabriel felt the darkness inside her take over entirely.

Morgan grinned and made the sword levitate out of reach of Carl and Gabriel. She attacked with her hands. Mina made the first advance however, punching Morgan straight across the face. Her sharpened fingernails left a long scratch mark that healed almost instantly.

"This is hopeless." She said sassily and held out her right hand.

The silver stake flew through the air, and caught her straight in the wrist. Morgan pulled it from her forearm. It gave Mina enough time to kick her across the face, grabbing her as she flew towards the wall and bit into her neck.

There was the sound of metal striking flesh just as Morgan vanished from the room, only this time she wasn't alone. Mina vanished with her.

* * *

Author's Note: This chapter is pretty long. It is much longer than I expected (8 PAGES in counting). I found time in my busy life to write it because I am getting so many reviews! I would like to congratulate **_J_** who was reviewer #100 (I think. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure it was **_J_**) and everyone after that. This is my first story that has exceeded 100 reviews and I am so happy! DRINKS ALL AROUND!

Reviews:

**_J_**: I agree. Hugh Jack as a werewolf was pretty hot. Or maybe I'm just referring to the transformation phase when he is half naked. (Ponders this for a moment) Or maybe I am just attracted to men who look half conscious. It must explain my obsession with Wolverine.

The origin of Gabriel's scars will be spoken of in later chapters, seeing as how many people have caught onto my ideas about them. I did know that Gabriel was an angel of God, but I did not know that he was actually the Left Hand of God. I was not taught a lot about religion growing up. I received the basic, general knowledge but not a lot more.

I can see why Sommers used the younger brother idea. Rights to 'old Abe' can't be easy to get nowadays.

Blood actually has a lot of iron in it, despite the coppery taste. It gives it some of its red colouring, aside from the hemoglobin and the oxygen in it. Iron is used to make red blood cells to carry oxygen. And don't feel bad about making your cuts worse. I have a terrible habit with black heads that I don't want to get into online.

Congratulations for leaving the 100th review! And your prize is a stuffed keychain of Carl!

**_Saerry Snape_**: Enjoy the Van Helsing novelization whilst I ponder various way of obtaining such a book. Unfortunately I haven't been able to be into the bookstore for a while to order it.

**_Vampire Princess, Morwinda_**: This chapter still has a ways to go yet! Don't think it's over so quickly! There are still a few things that I have to put it just yet. I have seen The Mists of Avalon around and was intending on reading it but I just started a new series by Jack Whyte that's also about Arthur. It's a different twist to the story. It takes all the events that happened in King Arthur and it makes the story completely plausible. It's a series of seven books but it's very good! Thank you for all your hints by the way!

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: Ah, but were you expecting Mina to be stabbed at the end of this chapter and taken away? I think not. And if you were, stop looking through my thoughts! I am glad you can wait since school is getting pretty ugly. Silly exams and end of the year essays. It's a right load of rubbish if you ask me.

**_Grissom_**: Thanks for pointing that out. Often times I simply upload a chapter without properly proofreading it (shame on me) and I didn't notice that until you pointed it out. I appreciate that! It speaks volumes about the reviewer when they notice just as many faults with a writer as just as many good things about them.

I have read the HP books as matter of fact. I love them all, but the Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite by far. The movie is great! It ticked me off that all through that book there were all these little clues to the werewolf and then they finally tell you at the end! I was so amazed at how fluid some stories are.

I like long reviews, so if you have the time to write them do so! This chapter will makeup for it though, since it is fairly longer than my others.

**_Shadowsage Hopesong_**: You're going to advertise this!? Wow! That's awesome! I'd be honoured and delighted if you did. If the Van Helsing RPG board pops up tell me immediately!

**_HyperCaz_**: Thank you for the comment about the faeries! I wanted him to be a little bugger just to piss off Carl a little more. He'll come in more in the following chapters and be equally as irritating. I'm sure your faerie was cool! All faeries are cool! Even Disney ones, although they are more annoying than other faeries.

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: I hope you enjoyed the small amount of tension they had in the kitchen earlier in the chapter. I was enjoying it! I wanted to make them kiss but opted against it. I'm going to save that for later.

**_Doodily Doo_**: Bugger is a very humourous word. My favourite statement with bugger in it is one my mother used to say: Shit Bugger Damn. It was funny because she'd get frustrated and just say those three little words in rapid succession and everything would be hilarious.

**_EvilspoofauthorSven_**: I'm happy that you wouldn't want anything changed. I'd be worried if you did. I hope the next installment was worth the wait.

**_Talyn-John_**: That is a great thing to read! The fact that anyone would want this to be Van Helsing 2 is flattering. Thank you! I hope you like this chapter! There's not a lot of history in it but I hope it's exciting.

**_Scholar_**: When I saw the movie for the third time I turned over and whispered, "It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside…" in my friend's ear in the ballroom scene. She burst out laughing. It was hilarious! He's such a weird actor. He went from playing 'The Duke' to playing James Moriarty in the League and then he plays Dracula. The same could be said about David Wenham. I mean, he went from playing the practical transvestite Audrey to playing the noble Faramir to playing the sauntering Carl. What strange people…

**_Trinety_**: I would not kill Mina without good reason. You'll have to wait until the next chapter to figure out what happened to her!

**_BlackFireDragonK_**: And I have! Now review!

**_WOW! This chapter is the longest yet! I hope this tides people over! It has a mixture of excitement (the end), tension between Gabriel and Mina, and a flashback! Now review please! I need to know what everyone thinks!_**


	13. Chasing

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort and no infringement of copyright laws was intended.

* * *

Chapter 13: Chasing

"You're not thinking about going after her are you?" Carl asked him as he walked down the stairs. Gabriel was grabbing his coat and his hat off the couch, readying himself with several weapons without answering Carl's question. He didn't think he had to. His actions were speaking loud enough. Carl continued. "You are, aren't you? You're going to run in there firing like a madman because that's what you usually do. I don't think you've seen how far that's gotten you?"

"Who said I was going to shoot her?" Gabriel said. He opened up his coat to reveal the singular sword he had first been given by Carl at the Vatican. It hung at his hip a gleamed brightly with the lamplight. He picked up the unbreakable Excalibur dagger from the couch and tossed it to Carl who caught it quickly and clumsily. It nearly dropped out of his hands.

"I need you to make sure Morgan doesn't get her hands on that." He said, pulling his hat onto his head. "I'm going to collect her head."

"I don't see how this is an improvement of shooting her." Carl said as Gabriel went to the door. "You're still doing something incredibly…"

"Carl..." Gabriel said, turning back to him. Carl looked at the sword and then back at him. "I'll be fine. Besides…if they don't kill you within the first twelve hours they're not going to kill you at all." He opened the door.

"You made that up." Carl said.

The door closed, signaling the end of the conversation. Carl took the sword back to the living room.

* * *

Gabriel was running. He had left the horse at the Inn the night before and had failed to pick it up when he was taken to Mina's. It wasn't as if he had much of a choice. He was forced to pursue Morgan on foot and then forced to walk to Mina's again. The black Arabian stallion was most likely irritating the Inn keeper who had been paid in advance and an awful lot of money to keep Van Helsing's presence private.

He was a fast runner. His body was built for it after many training sessions at the Vatican to rehabilitate his broken body after recovering in bed for a long period of time. He was restrained at some points to keep him from breaking his stitches which had a habit of ripping through the skin as he dreamed violently. He would wake and feel as if he were still dreaming from the deep sleep they had chemically induced to keep the wounds from continuing to rip apart. The scars were the product of the physician constantly having to stitch him back up again and again.

Carl was often in his memories, usually hidden off to the side where Gabriel could not see him immediately when he had awoken. He seemed to shudder whenever he moved at all, an action Gabriel had never asked him about. Carl seemed to be his friend even without revealing too much information to Van Helsing.

No. They had to be closer than friends. Gabriel was sure of it. They weren't lovers but no two people could go through so much together and still be considered friends.

Carl had been there when Gabriel was bedridden from his moments in the Vatican. He was there when Gabriel returned limping from an unnaturally large beast taking bites out of his leg or throwing him against walls or using his body as a flying projectile. He had been there to give Gabriel some new information about what he was facing. He had run to fetch extra bullets (although seemed appalled when Gabriel asked for more, something Gabriel never understood) and he always created something new and exciting to use on a mission (That Gabriel either broke or the creature Gabriel was fighting broke. Either way Carl seemed shocked with the first prototypes of the tojo blades were never returned. He mumbled something about a man named Malachi, but Gabriel had never pressed the subject).

The streets passed by in blurs of colours. He could hear the faint voices of two men talking around the corner to his left. Gabriel opted against this route and darted for the right hand side of the street before running up a set of stairs on the right hand side of an apartment building. The board creaked under his feet as he bolted up to the top level and pulled himself onto the roof.

The city looked so much clearer from the change in elevation. The air seemed so much cooler and the whole world seemed so much bigger than the small area he could see from below. The small lights of the lamps were being extinguished in regard for the oncoming dawn. He saw a sliver of yellow on the horizon before it faded behind the clouds and became a bright shade of red. It burned like a fire in the east as he stood there a moment and got his bearings, finding the east by the fire on the horizon.

_Blood around the sun…_he thought to himself, recalling the old sign of rain from somewhere that he couldn't recall. He looked down at the street and found the signs that the districts were changing again. Mina's housing was beginning to grow much more upper class. Yards were kept clean by gardeners. Maids were already opening the windows to let in the day. Gabriel kept running.

He stayed on the roofs for as long as he could before dropping down and into an alley off a small height. He bent his knees and crouched low to the pavement as a carriage moved by, the sounds of the metal horseshoes meeting stone cobblestones unmistakable. It pulled by and moved a good distance before he took off on foot again and came out and into the street where Morgan's house was.

There were lights streaming out of the three windows on the second floor and shadows moved in front of them. Gabriel's eyebrows lowered in anger. He heard the voices around the house, dancing slowly on the wind as they spoke amongst themselves in shrill and high pitches shrieks and songs. He stayed away from them, backing into the high cast iron fence that surrounded Morgan's house and her neighbours on either side. With his back still pressed against the iron bars, he moved down towards the house, inching just close enough the he was out of Morgan's sight for the time being. The faeries were still laughing and giggling. He caught the words 'Devil's Spawn' a few times as well as Mina's name, but could hear little else with the constant chatter.

There was a sudden moment of silence. All the voices were hushed. Gabriel had thought at first maybe they had noticed his presence, but they flew off in a fury of wings. Their voices were laughing some more as they made their way away from the house and in an unknown direction. All Gabriel knew was that he couldn't hear them anymore.

He tested his limits, slowly moving in and out of the invisible barrier once guarded by Morgan's faeries. He moved inside it slowly and found that there were no more faeries left guarding the home. He drew his sword in his right hand and a tojo blade in the other just in case, marching forward with his hat lowered and the blade glistening with the lamplight. It caught his eyes for a moment, leaving a burning pink flare in his vision as he moved closer and closer to the house.

Mina felt her senses return with a rush of pain to her head, and she awoke on the wooden floors of Morgan's home with no sense of how she had arrived there.

She opened her eyes slowly, finding that they were blurred with the harsh lighting of the lamp next to her. Shaking, she tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't move her arms.

A rusted pair of scissors moved behind her head, and Morgan proudly took up one of her locks of brown hair in her elegant fingers before cutting it at its root. Mina's hair immediately started to grow back into place.

"That's the lovely thing about vampires." Morgan said, taking up another lock of her hair. "No matter what you do to them they always seem to recover. Unless of course I don't allow such things…"

Mina felt the feel come back into her limbs for a mere instant. Pins and needles moved across her body before the pain in her chest met her. The wound was made with the silver stake used on Morgan, and the sorceress had removed the weapon but not allowed the injury to heal properly. The wound was open, cleanly impaled, but her breathing was not constricted by her punctured lung and her skin was not dripping blood at all.

Mina was feeling the pain that she had not felt in a long time. No matter what she did to herself it always returned to the state she was in now. The effect was almost immediate. She could cut herself as many times as she wished but the wound always healed and returned to being pale and perfect and smooth skin.

"It's such a shame you had to be useful." Morgan commented, cutting off another lock of hair from Mina's scalp. Mina's body was bound in paralysis again, keeping her from attacking her captor. Morgan set the hair in a bundle to her side. "I was hoping I would get to kill you before the night was through."

"I was hoping it would be the other way around." Mina replied cruelly, her face twisting in anger. Morgan simply smiled.

"I guess you never heard." She took another snip of hair. "That's impossible."

"It's not impossible." Mina replied. "And you know it."

"But there's the unfortunate thing…" Mina said. "I'm the only one who does." She gave a small, coy giggle at this thought, the idea of immortality amusing her once again. It had always amused her since she had achieved such a position after Mab's death and her claim to the throne of Fey. Mina closed her eyes and tried to focus her mind on getting her body to work. It failed her.

Morgan looked at her pile of hair, the immortal fragments on the floor next to her. She pushed them over to three of her servants who were still neatly arranging the other effects they had collected while Mina was unconscious. They were bundling up a vile of her blood, the locks of brown hair, and a few flesh samples. Morgan had wanted to collect the rest of the skin when Mina had awakened.

"What the hell do you want?" Mina asked her. Morgan stepped over her onto the other side of her body, the hems of her black skirt brushing over Mina's body gently. Morgan was holding a thin bladed dagger in her one hand, the other hand on the sheath as she pulled it out and magically pushed Mina onto her back, locking her arms to the floor with her powers.

The wound was an angry read colour and Mina found out why it was not bleeding. Morgan had enchanted it to prevent her from doing so. Had she not, Mina would have died by now.

"Your hair. You blood. And some of your flesh." Morgan added quickly, kneeling down with her gloved hands and dagger in hand before moving it closer and closer to Mina's body. Mina felt the feeling return to her torso, something Morgan was doing just to hear her scream. The dagger stuck the inflamed flesh around the wound. It dug deep into the layers of her skin, the flesh halted within its healing process. Mina's body was in agony. She stubbornly refused to cry out from Morgan's torture.

Morgan pealed away a large clump of pale and bloodied flesh. She tossed it over to the small faeries who were gathering together all the components for the spell. Mina breathed heavily.

"All this for a spell?" Mina asked her through her clenched teeth. Morgan's eyebrow lifted in interest, trying to figure out what Mina had asked her precisely. She dug the dagger blade back into Mina chest once more for another clump of skin. This time, Mina screamed with a closed mouth.

"Of course it is." She said, looming over Mina's body with the blade digging into her chest. Mina tightened her jaw and groaned loudly, her whole body immobile. Morgan ripped off another chunk of flesh and tossed it to the faeries. They immediately wrapped it up so quickly the blood never touched their hands. Morgan wiped the blade on Mina's gown before making a small face.

"Well this won't do." She said, standing up. Mina was yanked to her feet painfully and forcefully, her feet locking to the ground. Her arms were free however, and she took advantage of it, reaching out for Morgan immediately. The sorceress was just beyond her reach, smiling softly at the image. Mina's wound flared in pain and she grabbed it, dropping to her knees. The skin started to heal, the two sides of the wound sliding together across her bones.

"You see, Mina, as much as you think this is just about magick it goes much deeper than that." Mina felt a cold force on her chin, forcing her to look back up at Morgan's piercing blue eyes again. The dark queen did not lower herself to Mina's height. She stood up straight and tall before looking away.

"It's unfortunate that I have no other uses for you now." Morgan said, the mercy in her voice as false as her words. She looked over at the wardrobe and then back at Mina who was gasping for breath as her wounds healed at last. She felt the feeling return to her legs and her body before she stood up again and tightened her fists, ready to make her move on Morgan.

The sorceress turned.

"Do not think you can harm me in my own home, silly girl." Morgan said. "You are rendered powerless here, just as much as your friend Van Helsing is."

"Why do you want this spell so much?" Mina asked her. "Why is it so important to you?"

"Stop thinking like a human, Mina. Time applies to humans but it does not touch you or me. We are immune to its flow and it's passing and so much wiser than to simply take the solution right in front of us." Morgan said, taking a step closer. Mina didn't move a muscle, and she wasn't sure if it was that she couldn't move or that Morgan wouldn't allow her to. "Think about it thoroughly and I might give you something else to wear."

"You're just going to kill me anyways."

"So what do you have to lose? I'll kill you either way."

Morgan did have a point. Mina's lips straightened into a thin line.

"You were looking for the swords of Excalibur…"

"That's too easy." Morgan replied. "Try harder."

"You're collecting pieces of a vampire…"

Morgan didn't even have a response but she was growing impatient. She tapped her foot on the ground and crossed her arms, irritated with Mina's stalling. Mina looked up at her, her green eyes sliding away from Mina's piercing stare to the area behind her. Morgan turned quickly and lifted her dagger up to meet Van Helsing's sword. He looked over at Mina.

"Go!" He shouted to her. Mina found herself running from the room before Morgan could bind her in another spell. The faeries with pieces of her body were carrying them away, out the window. She raced from the room to stop them.

Morgan smiled coyly and threw Gabriel off her with her outstretched right hand. She backed into the table and drew up one of the swords, pulling it from the sheath in a flash of blinding silver to catch Gabriel's blade before it swung down upon her.

"You know I will not be easy to take." She said in her low, melodic voice. Gabriel pushed down harder towards her head.

"I've had worse odds." He said. She grinned.

"Just so you know." She replied, spinning away from him confidently, bringing the sword down toward his leg and taking the dagger towards his chest. Gabriel backed away gracefully enough not to fall before she was upon him again, slashing with the dagger and thrusting with the sword.

She was excellent with either, flowing with the weapon as if it were a part of her. Unconsciously, Gabriel knew how to wield either. He could lift the forty pound weapon and strike with it, hitting her with such movements that would break any normal human's arms. Morgan didn't even seem to lose a step under them. She just kept moving, blocking and swinging with no signs of ever giving up.

"I didn't know you had an interest in swordplay, Gabriel." She said, lunging forward. He pushed the sword out of the way and continued, twisting his wrist back up so the sword was vertical in his hand once again. He nearly slipped in a small pool of blood on the floor, most like from Mina. He could smell the sharp tang of salt from it. It collected in the back of his throat. He was forced to ignore it as Morgan spun around again with the sword horizontal. She threw the dagger when she stopped and it found its mark in his right thigh. The adrenaline was coursing too quickly for him to notice, and he grabbed the hilt and yanked it out, using it for his own. Morgan stopped and swayed slowly, loosening herself up for another round.

They began slowly this time, as if in a legalized battle between comrades. They were somewhat of a sight. Through the windows the neighbours could make out the faint outlines of a woman dressed all in black with a long broadsword in hand attacking a man twice her size, in black as well, gushing blood from a stab wound in his thigh as they began swinging and thrusting, controlling their movements with every fiber in their body. It was hard to tell who was better. Morgan was agile and smaller, her movements quicker and harder to anticipate. But Gabriel was without a doubt more powerful with his larger build. His movements were slower, but they were backed with his amazing strength and left Morgan weakening very slowly.

The sun seemed to have stopped in the sky and soft shadows were growing through the city as they fought out into the hall and to the top of the stairs, Morgan's arm stretched out behind her to keep her steady as she continued her heated battle with Gabriel. He ducked to miss three blurred swipes over his head and only stood when he could thrust forward and nearly strike her. Morgan jumped back, her sword still facing him. She landed softly, almost cat like and prepared for another strike but had to change her position to defend from Van Helsing slash to her side. She twisted her wrist and the blade protected her, positioned parallel to her body. Morgan turned the sword back up and dropped her hand, bringing it to Gabriel neck and nearly taking his head off. He had the dagger there to protect himself, pushing her sword back and away from him. When she was distracted he trust forward, catching the skin on her shoulder with the broad sword. He pushed the dagger against her throat when she placed her hand against him. He had just enough time to back off her before she unleashed a large orb of flame that hit the banister.

The fire spread across the floor. It started at the banister before moving to the ground and continued. Morgan was growing rash with her decisions, moving to kill Gabriel off quickly. She pushed his sword from her shoulder and slapped him with the back of her hand. It had virtually no effect. He still came closer to her, the dagger against her throat and his hand gripping hers, preventing her from stabbing him. She felt him dig the blade into her throat, the blessing coming forth from his lips, just as the voices came to the windows and soared through, dragging with them a large body that they threw to the ground, along with a heavy metal object.

Gabriel's diverted attention was all Morgan needed. She placed her hand on his shoulder and sent waves of flame through his body. He keeled over, groaning loudly as the fire burned through his body. The dagger was tightened in his fist and he managed to thrust it into her stomach before her spell intensified and she lost her grip. She ripped the dagger from her stomach, throwing it to the ground. The faeries were laughing and screaming for her to do away with both the humans.

The lump on the floor started moving. Gabriel caught sight of it as he moved to stand up again. It was Carl. The object beside him was the dagger he had brought from the Vatican, the one carrying the piece of Excalibur. He got up to his feet as Morgan reached for him again, just as the sound of wings moved up the stairs and attacked her. Small bats clawed at her flesh and yanked at her hair. Morgan screamed out loud, her voice amplified with her magick. The faeries received an order and grabbed Carl up again, tossing him outside with the sword. Gabriel got up and ran down the stairs after him, straight out the front door, shouting his name.

The carriage door shut with Carl still shouting back. The faeries turned their attention on Gabriel. _So that was where they were going…_he realized suddenly. They snarled at him, flying at him so quickly they were invisible. He ran to the carriage anyways, grabbing the handle with both hands as the faeries bit at him.

The door handle bit his hand with such a powerful force he heard his finger snap. He yanked his bleeding hand from the carriage door and stepped back.

"CARL!" He shouted through the sound of his flesh being snapped at by Morgan's servants. He batted them from his face and threw himself into the door of the carriage again. The living door wouldn't budge. He could hear Carl inside, swinging the sword at the door. The horses were restless and suddenly they moved forward on command, pulling away from the house. He looked up as the faeries carried the nineteen swords with a large shadow in toe. It landed on the step of the carriage with the long cape fluttering behind them. Morgan tossed off the hood of the cloak and held back her curls, waving to him with a smirk on her face that made him even angrier. Gabriel took off down the street in the opposite direction.

* * *

Mina emerged from the burning house only seconds later. She hadn't managed to grab anything to cover her skin and her bare hand, face and neck were at the mercy of the rising sun. She felt the soft rays gently touch her skin, making it immediately sting with white hot fury. She backed into the shadows of the fence, hidden temporarily. Her eyes watered. She felt like vomiting. Every muscle in her body was trembling and shaking and she didn't know why. Never before had she ever felt so weak in her life. She hugged herself tightly, breathing deeply as she leaned against the large cast iron pillar and shivered in cool morning air.

There were the sounds of hooves coming down the road. Mina opened her eyes and looked up at the black figure riding into view, his coat flaring out behind him like a demon and his eyes hidden beneath the wide rim of his hat. She found that he was pulling off his coat with one hand and stretched out his right arm.

"Take my hand!" He shouted. Mina saw the sun disappear behind the clouds finally and she stepped forward.

"WHA…?!" She started but he was already too close.

"Take my hand!" He shouted. She had only seconds to reach up and take his hand, wrapping her strong fingers around his wrist before her feet left the ground and she was swung backwards and dropped onto the back of the horse.

Mina grabbed hold of him to stop her from falling off. She felt his hand on her wrist still, clutching it tightly. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling the horse's heart pounding beneath her.

_I suppose this would be a bad time to mention how much I HATE horses…_ She though to herself as Gabriel handed her his large jacket, still holding onto her as he kicked the horse to move faster.

"Cover yourself." He said loudly as the horse's pace quickened. She awkwardly pushed her arms into the sleeves of the coat. The sun was nearing the edge of the cloud just as she buried herself beneath his jacket, hiding her face by pulling the back up and over her head. The sun came out to greet her as she wrapped her arms around Gabriel's chest once more. He felt her press herself into his back, tightly hugging him from behind. Gabriel reached a hand up and gently touched her hand, again, feeling the fingers go limp but the strength in her arms never once leave.

* * *

Author's Notes: WOW! I have had one hell of a week. I am happy to say that I am now finished all major assignments for each of my courses and the only thing left to do is study, study, STUDY (Not one of my strong points, by the way). The support has been awesome and I tried to get this chapter up ASAP, but something was always in my way. Thank you everyone who reviewed because I loved looking in my e-mail inbox and finding another reason to get back to this. I would respond to each individual review but I lack the energy tonight. Next chapter I will respond to all the reviews from this chapter and the next because I'M ALMOST FREE FROM SCHOOL! WOO HOOOOOO!

Just a minor review response though: I knew Morgan was not immortal. She just had a knack for magick that was not shared with her sister Morgause (she boils a cat in The Once and Future King in an attempt to become invisible). I made her immortal in a response to her killing off Mab, the Queen of the Faeries. In many stories she does not have nearly as much power as I bestowed upon her in this story. I have twisted her character a little, I apologize to all King Arthur fans out there! The movie comes out soon. Who else is going to see it?


	14. Merlin's Land

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort and no infringement on copyright laws was intended.

* * *

Chapter 14: Merlin's Land

Gabriel could never have verbalized how he knew where he was going. Somehow he could follow the trail by the residual energies left behind. Morgan had a very distinct energy that he had never felt before now that she had everything she needed for her spell. In the beginning it was the power and arrogance that were intoxicating. Now it was some sadistic joy that was permeating the air around him, leading him to her without a doubt.

Mina hadn't moved since London. Her arms were still tightly binding them together but he was sure she was sleeping. She hadn't said a word or moved a muscle since London. It was strange to feel her so close to him, almost locked to him by the little space between them. Her chest was pressed against his back while her legs were curled up under the coat. Her arms were bound around his upper chest, just under his arms and the hands were balled into loose fists on his ribs. He couldn't hear her breathing but he could feel it happening almost in unison with his own. It shocked him at first when he couldn't feel her heart beat they were so close, but he remembered that she wasn't precisely alive at that moment and his fears subsided.

It was strange to be so close to a vampire. All his life (the few years that he could remember anyways) he had killed them in the name of God and all his creation. He had always been able to sense them and their heartless presences leaving behind a cold and dead feeling that made him shiver with fear and run faster from adrenaline. They were his prey, and he was the hunter, a man without a past with hardly a hope for a future given the gifts to destroy such things.

The Cardinal would not recognize him here, riding on horseback with a vampire woman attached to him, clinging to him like a lifeline. He would probably deny the image, given that Gabriel was not one who pitied such creatures. Gabriel knew and understood that one could not pity vampires or werewolves. There was no humanity left inside them to pity them.

And yet here was Mina Harker, an unknown-aged woman who had rescued him without question from death at the hands of Morgan. Who had created a substitute for blood simply because she scorned what she was and because she had enough humanity left to resent the vampire inside. It conflicted with everything Gabriel believed. True, he believed in forgiveness and he often believed in mercy to those who deserved it, but a vampire that showed any signs of humanity was unnatural. He had never once seen it before, until now.

They had been riding for the whole day with small rests. Gabriel was rooted to the saddle by Mina's hands. He apologized to the horse for this of course, but the stallion did not seem to mind at all. He moved slowly to a walk as they reached the flatter regions of England.

Normally, Gabriel would not have slowed, but it was a necessity not only to his horse but to keeping up with the trail of Morgan. He could not afford to lose her in England. Not while she was holding Carl prisoner.

The idea of her taking Carl was bothering him. Mina's silence had given him plenty of time to think, and he was doing well. He had considered the fact once again that Morgan wanted him to follow her. He knew she enjoyed the attention. Of course, he could be all wrong and Morgan simply wanted Carl to torture and kill as punishment for Gabriel. _She could have done that back at the house_, he determined, and decided that the one that fit the best was option 1.

The rolling countryside yielded to vast forests of bony and gangly trees as he head further north and found they were in much more hilly country than he remembered. It was mainly flatland up until that point with small patches of forest and heavy thickets of pine and cedar before reaching the outskirts of the tightly packed trees they had reached. He closed his eyes a moment and took a deep breath of the sharp pine scent before picking up on the trail of the faeries again. He stopped breathing and heard the faintest of sounds coming from the horses, but the second his heart beat again they were lost. He followed the trail of her power, the sound of the Fey singing in his ears as he moved in slowly to the thick trees that nearly blocked out the sunset completely. The trees were high above him and twisted against the pink and indigo sky. Their silhouettes were menacing and deadly. He kept his eyes ahead of him and pressed forward.

The sun was nearly out of the sky when Mina's arms jerked back to life. He heard a small gasp of air from behind him as she came back into the land of the living. Her head was pushed from the neck of the jacket, her hair pasted to her face with sweat and tears. She looked like death itself had touched her, sliding his cold hand over her face and draining all life from her. Her eyes were sunken and drawn inside her head and her eyelids were half closed with weariness. Her skin was deathly pale and almost a faint blue-gray colour if Gabriel allowed his eyes to fade from focus for a moment. Blue veins ran under her flesh and were easily found by her weakened skin. He was happy to see that the wound in her chest was fully healed, even though it was still badly bruised.

Mina seemed to panic for a moment as she shook violently. Gabriel's eyes went wide before she stopped and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She finally spoke.

"Mr. Van Helsing it appears as if my arms are completely frozen to your body from lack of circulation." She said, unable to command her limbs in any way from the elevated position she had found them in when she regained consciousness. It was extremely awkward to awake and find her body in such a 'needy' position as to have grabbed on and never let him go. It was one thing to be in a state of shock and blood loss on the street and at the mercy of the sun. But it was another thing entirely to be fully aware of her actions and still be in such a vulnerable pose.

Gabriel seemed to smile at that, and tucked the reigns under his thigh before helping her pry her limbs off him. She hung them at her sides and winced as the blood brought a feeling of pins and needles through them. Her eyes opened when they had regained a suitable amount of feeling and she looked down and discovered that she was still on the back of the horse.

"It seems as if our place in this small game of hers hasn't changed much." She said, making a reference more to the horse than to their metaphorical position in Morgan's setup. Gabriel seemed to think it was more the latter of the two, but he could sense her discomfort as they rode ahead, moving slowly over the jagged rocks and sharp sticks that lined the forest path. The horse had found it, following a trail of his own. Gabriel would have turned him in the other direction, but they were keeping up. It seemed Morgan had slowed as well, most likely to hang herself like a carrot in front of their noses, willing them forward. He kept up with the slow pace to not injure the animal he was riding.

"How long have I been asleep?" She asked.

"Since this morning." He replied simply, holding back some sharp pine branches so they wouldn't touch her. Mina resumed her position of pressing against his back for warmth. He couldn't blame her. She was barely clothed, wearing nothing but a practically sheer robe and a white dressing gown. Even her neck wasn't covered, although she had found some relief in having Gabriel's jacket. She had rolled up the collar and held it tightly about her slender throat to hide the scars.

"Goodness, you should not have allowed me to sleep so long." She said, exhaling heavily as she shivered slightly from the dropping temperature. Gabriel suppressed a shiver himself. He stopped short on the path, listening hard and taking advantage of Mina's silence to come to a dreaded conclusion: He had lost Morgan.

The forest was growing darker by the minute. Gabriel turned the horse to face in another direction. Mina looked around in confusion.

"Mr. Van Helsing?" He hushed her by raising his finger, turning the horse again and hoping to feel Morgan's magick inside him again. He prayed that he would pick up on something other than the crickets singing and the leaves rustling in the wind. The horse whinnied and jumped slightly as it was turned in another direction and faced the other way. Gabriel allowed it to take a few steps forward before he stopped again.

The path was gone.

Mina started breathing heavily as the fog settled in, starting gradually from the forest floor and rising up and past the horse's black legs and torso until it consumed them completely. Gabriel felt her hands come to rest on his shoulders as her breath started to quicken again. He could feel Morgan surrounding him in the fog, making him blind, keeping him lost in her forest in a labyrinth of dying trees suspended in their demonic forms. The horse was pulled to a halt as Gabriel yanked on the reigns. Mina finally found her voice.

"What's happening?" She asked in a barely audible whisper. Gabriel jerked a slight bit when he realized how close she was. Her mouth was right next to his ear and her breath was moving over his face. He breathed deeply.

"I think Morgan has found us." He said, equally as quiet.

Mina didn't like the sound of that. She pulled the coat tighter around her.

"It's gotten colder." She said, overstating the obvious. The temperature had dropped suddenly, steeping to a point that their breath came out as clouds and mixed with the fog. The thick white fog that surrounded them was impenetrable, and even the trees were slowly fading into it and sealing them in a world of white.

"I know." He replied quickly.

"What are we going to do?" She asked him, hoping that he had a plan. As quick-minded as she was at times, Mina was not coming up with anything they could possibly do but wait for the fog to lift or keep moving and hope that it was in the right direction. Gabriel seemed to have the same two thoughts in mind. He couldn't decide which was better. On the one hand, they could wait and see what happened, but Morgan was without a doubt the cause of their weather conditions in hopes to mask her location. There was little chance the fog would eventually lift, and by then, Carl could be dead. On the other hand, wandering through an unknown forest with no map was no hope either, especially in the thickening fog. Even if they did manage to find the trail, there was no telling how much time they had wasted going in circles. Either way, it was hopeless.

"We don't have much of a choice. Either way we're stuck here."

Mina looked up into the sky and into the trees. Their tall branches were lost in the fog of course but she could see light from above her. A smile moved over her lips and her breathing calmed.

"Mr. Van Helsing." She said, and pointed up towards the heavens. He followed her finger. "When was the last time you ever climbed a tree?"

* * *

Mina could not climb a tree in her dress. But Gabriel had tried and found that he was much too big for the trees to support his weight. After breaking two branches and landing heavily on the ground (this did nothing for his wounded thigh and mending ribs) he finally allowed Mina a try. She stripped down to nothing but her undergarments. These were not store bought but rather consisted of white cloth bound across her breast and some of her waist and a loose hanging pair of trousers that Gabriel had managed to find in his saddle bag. She had tied them on with some shredded fabric from her robe and was scaling the tree slowly, testing branches with all her strength before climbing up another.

"Mina?" He asked up into the tree, unable to see her anymore.

"I'm here." She called back down to him, realizing only after she had said this that Gabriel didn't know where 'here' was. "I'm about four branches above you. I can see your hat." She pointed out, suppressing a shiver. Gabriel put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath, exasperated about the situation. He heard a branch snap and Mina give a small cry, but she did not fall and there was no sound of a body striking the ground.

"Are you alright?" He called up to her.

"Yes." She said while eyeing the cut on her palm until it successfully healed. Mina placed her hand on the next branch and pulled again. It too snapped and fell to the ground. She heard it strike Gabriel on the head. "Sorry."

"Can't you simply turn into bats again? It seemed to be fairly effective against Morgan."

"Unfortunately, Mr. Van Helsing…" She began as she went up on tip toes and grabbed the branch above her head. It held as she pulled herself up and onto it, cautiously taking another in her hands when she heard it start to crack. "Due to my current state of blood loss I couldn't do such a thing without driving myself into such exhaustion that I would drink dry everything living thing that came in my way." Mina could see that the fog had lessened and determined that she was nearly at the top. There was no answer from the ground. "Mr. Van Helsing?"

There was no response. Mina was torn. She looked up and saw the dark sky beyond the fog and looked down and only saw the waiting white beneath her. Her breath quickened and every sense heightened as the demonic form of her 'other' self became known. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the branch, fighting the growing pain in her stomach by pushing herself forward until she was above the fog and looking out into the clear and cloudless night sky.

It was magnificent to her eyes at that point, having been locked in the fog for much too long in her opinion. Every star seemed to be new, and the full moon that shone down upon her made her feel as if she were standing in the sunshine for a moment. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the night, feeling it feed in through her nearly empty veins and out through her slowed breathing.

Then there was the sound of the branch breaking under her. Mina had enough time to see the carriage on the plains straight ahead of them before it broke under her feet and she fell down the trunk of the tree. She reached out for a branch and caught one, hearing it crack almost immediately. She jumped over and reached out, taking hold of one of the stronger branches that was about sixteen feet off the ground. Her feet hit another branch and she jumped down the rest of the way.

Mina discovered why it had been so silent when a cold blade was pressed against her throat.

"Well now, what have we here?" The man behind her said. His voice sound Irish. He leaned over and looked at Mina's face. She looked over into the corners of her eyes and saw that his left eye was solid white with only a small pin prick of a black pupil in the centre. The other was a faded milky blue with no pupil at all. His skin was lined with scars the made almost a graph over his cheeks while his teeth were rotting inside his mouth. "Two spies for the Queen. This is our lucky day boys."

There was the sound of laughter. Mina could only make out the outlines of four others restraining Gabriel, digging a gag deeper into his mouth and muffling his cries with it. She struggled against her captor, digging her elbows into his chest. He laughed and looked around at the circle of his friends, each wielding rusty knives except for the one in front of Gabriel. He was drawing Van Helsing's sword from its sheath.

"Let me go!" She said loudly, weakening quickly. The man had her arms locked together by their elbows, binding them with the crook of his arm.

"And why should we? So you can go and report to her Highness that she didn't exactly kill all of us on her last visit?"

"We don't work for the Queen." Mina said, issuing a laugh from the men around her. Gabriel was punched in the stomach and dropped to the ground, groaning as he was lifted up by his arms. He was on his knees as a knife was pressed to his Adam's apple. A large tuft of his black hair was grabbed and his head was pulled back, revealing his whole neck. Mina was still, breathing heavily as the world swam around her. She was getting hungrier and hungrier as the necks cried out to her. The scars on their faces were covered in blood and the darkness inside her longed for it. It needed to feast upon it…

She closed her eyes and winced against the growing pain in her stomach. The men were only laughing more. Gabriel recognized it.

"We don't work for Morgan." He said quickly.

"And why are we supposed to believe you?" The man holding Mina asked, ignorant to her face contorted in pain and her eyes staring sightlessly at the hidden sky. Gabriel continued, talking quickly.

"We're here to kill her."

He had caught the attention of the man behind Mina. She was thrown to the ground, landing on her hands as her head hung low and her breathing quickened. Gabriel knew better than to talk slowly about this. He had to get some blood into Mina before she lost her mind.

"Are you?" He asked, intrigued by Gabriel's choice of words. The men were uneasily silent. "What good spies. They'll tell you anything." He stood up. "Kill him. The woman's mine."

Mina lifted her head. They didn't see her eyes go red.

"NO!" Gabriel shouted, drawing the attention back to him. "We're not spies. We're here to destroy Morgan."

"What the hell are you doing in these woods than?" The man asked. Mina was hyperventilating. Gabriel continued, buying some time for her to get the blood lust back under control.

"We've been following her for a whole day now. She has taken one of our friend's captive. We mean you no harm." Gabriel said, making sure the last sentence was emphasized so they may take the knife away from his neck. The man just grew closer.

"Why are we supposed to believe you?" He asked him, the blade tightening against his throat. Gabriel chose his words wisely.

"I don't know. But we'll be willing to cooperate in any way possible to make you."

The man considered this answer. Gabriel was half anticipating the knife to dig into his flesh and slash his throat before moving over to Mina. She looked as if she was almost gone, gripping her head as he lips started to bleed from her fangs. She wiped it away and her teeth remained very sharp and her eyes were bright red. Gabriel's eyes met hers, willing her silently to hold on for a moment more.

Mina would have loved to change in front of them. She would have loved draining one of them to the point of death. The problem wasn't that she couldn't. The problem was that if she did, she wouldn't stop, and that she may take Gabriel along with them. But she needed it before she dried up and landed herself in a bigger mess than the other vampires she had heard stories about. It was one of the first things she learned, and she learned it the hard way: A vampire must feed or they enter a state of permanent blood lust. And the blood lust experienced is only quenched when the vampire has taken the lives of nearly a dozen good sized adults.

It was in the beginning, when she was just discovering her powers. She had not allowed herself to drink anything for nearly a week and felt much the same as she did then, weak and shaking, her healing powers slowed and her mind a buzz with the need for fresh, human blood and the taste of their flesh on her lips. She had murdered off nearly ten dignitaries without knowledge of it every happening, and awoke in a pile of their corpses with the blood still on her lips and over her chest and breasts, running down her half naked body. She wanted to avoid it again, even though it would have been useful in such a situation.

The man finally smiled and nodded to Gabriel.

"Alright, than we will have a small contest." He said, walking back towards Mina. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up from the ground. It took every last shred of Mina's humanity to simply stand up, docile as a woman should be, looking straight at him with clenched teeth. He inspected her, checking her over before finding the two scars on her next.

He laughed but said nothing. Mina simply felt two others take her arms and tie her wrists with rope. Gabriel was yanked to his feet and held tightly. The scar faced man took out two identical daggers from his belt.

"We will have a dual." He said, drawing the blades from the sheaths. "We will determine if you are worthy enough to live if you can best me in a dual with daggers. If you win you have earned safe passage through the forest and you may pursue your friend and the Queen-if that is who you truly pursue. But…if I win, I get to keep your woman. And I get to keep your head."

Gabriel didn't have much of a choice. He looked over at Mina, knowing he was gambling with her body as much as he was gambling with his life. She didn't have a response and was rigid with her attempt at keeping the two parts of herself under control. He looked back at the scar faced man and nodded.

"I accept your challenge." He said. The man smiled. He handed Gabriel a weapon. Just as Van Helsing had it in his hand the man smiled.

"Did I mention that I have never lost a battle?" He said, getting a laugh from his men. Unlike his previous opponents, Gabriel didn't look scared or shocked. He flipped the blade in his hand as he had done in training once, learning how to wield any weapon he could put his hand to. He actually smiled and stopped twisting the blade in his hands.

"Did I mention that my opponents usually don't survive?"

The scar faced man tried not to show how worried he was becoming with his dual. Mina was yanked off to the side, bound with thick rope with a gag in her mouth. Gabriel nodded to her, trying to reassure her. Mina tried to nod back but the scar faced man was already attacking him.

* * *

Carl was under the impression he was a dead man the second he was thrown into the carriage. His feeling of anxiety had not been alleviated with Morgan's presence within. She commanded him without speaking to stare at her. She was absolutely beautiful with her black hair hanging over her shoulders in thick and perfect curls. Her ears were holding earrings made of precious stones and her eyes were holding the faeries themselves. Bright orbs of light danced in her irises. Her low dress revealed the deep crevice between her perfect and white breasts, where the necklace holding the pentacle star just barely touched. A long black cloak was draped around her shoulders, showing off her chest and beautiful indigo gown with a turquoise sheen to it. He was awestruck when he had entered the carriage, but kept his wits about him by ignoring her most of the time, trying not to think about her words but reciting poems or paragraphs from books he had read. Eventually he lost himself in a memory: Gabriel's first training.

Gabriel Van Helsing was barely rehabilitated from the condition he had been found in on the steps of the Vatican. Despite his weakened exterior that looked like he had been dragged through the depths of hell and back again multiple times, he could still take a pistol in his hands and hold it with an accuracy only achieved by years of training. The same thing happened with the dagger, the sword, the cross bow, the long bow, the pistol, the shot gun, and any other weapon one could possibly think of putting in the hands of Gabriel Van Helsing. He could take down a dummy or a target from any distance. He was considered to have to start with basics, but he moved up to the top level of the Order's combat training within that same day.

_"You can't remember anything before you woke up here but you can remember how to kill people." Carl had observed when he was walking Gabriel back to his room. He was actually dragging Gabriel back to his room, taking one of Gabriel's arms and slinging it over his shoulder even though he was much shorted that Van Helsing. "Normal people would see that as a bad thing."_

_ "We're both contradictions." Gabriel pointed out in his exhaustion induced stupor. Carl was sure he never remembered saying this. "We're living, breathing, and walking contradictions. The world only keeps us around because our contradictions have uses."_

Carl had remained lost within his own world focused on the statement. Carl was a contradiction. He was a man of God, yet he condoned murder by supplying the tools to carry it out. Gabriel was a contradiction. He could not remember faces or names or words from his past but he could remember how to kill. He too was a man of God, but all he could remember how to do was kill.

Neither could exist without the other. Carl could not have his job if Gabriel didn't hunt. And Gabriel couldn't hunt unless Carl made weapons.

* * *

Gabriel swung the blade so quickly it was a silver blur in the air and deflected against the scarred man's own. They bent their elbows and leaned in close to each other, so close they could feel each other's muscle trembling under the tremendous amount of strength they were applying. Gabriel could see the man was losing quicker, and the next few movements were blurs, even to him. The scarred man pulled his blade in the direction Gabriel had been pushing it, causing Van Helsing to spin and lose focus. The scarred man brought the dagger down to his shoulder but was met with Gabriel's dagger. He had spun around so quickly and lifted his weapon so fast that he had caught a weapon that would have been nearly impossible for anyone else to avoid.

The man lifted his blade and swiped it across Gabriel's chest, catching nothing but air as his opponent jumped back. Gabriel thrust forward and met his mark, hitting the man's shoulder before recoiling back and slashing his chest from right shoulder to the left side of his rib cage. He was back before the scarred man could do anything to him, and stabbed his knife into the man's shirt, pushing him back and pinning him to a tree. The man jabbed the fell length of the dagger at his arm but just skimmed it, burying half the blade into the bicep and causing blood to gush from the wound. Gabriel twisted around, drawing his body off the blade before kicking the man's armed hand and knocking the dagger from him. With lightning quick reflexes he drew the dagger from the tree and pressed it to his throat.

There was a hushed silence in the circle of men as they watched Gabriel become the victor against their leader, a man who was better with a dagger than most were with any weapon. And yet in less than five minutes, Gabriel had proven he was better and obviously deserving of their trust. Mina seemed pleased, especially to have the gag pulled from her mouth.

He was expecting a death blow. Gabriel didn't deliver it. He dropped the dagger into the ground where the blade sank into the soil at the man's feet. They stood at an impasse, Gabriel bleeding from his right arm and pressing his hand against his newly opened hip wound that Morgan had given him in the morning. He stepped back from the scarred man who took a deep breath and found that Gabriel had no intention of killing him.

"I thought none of your opponents ever lived?" He said, worried that this was some kind of ruse. Gabriel shrugged.

"None of my inhuman opponents ever live. But if you truly feel like dying…"

"No. No more. You have bested me and that will do fine for one day." He snapped his fingers. His mood had changed quickly. "Release the woman." Mina's ropes were untied and she was handed back to Gabriel who pulled her arm over his shoulder and helped her stand. She looked worse than before. Her whole body was dripping with perspiration and her mouth was filled with a small amount of blood that had been carelessly drawn when she had bit her cheek with her fangs. The scarred man picked up his daggers.

"You fight like no one I have ever seen before." He said. "I would love to know where you learned such a skill."

_I wish I knew…_Gabriel said. Everything in the fight had been instinct. He normally did not live his life on instinct, but everything in the fight had been a feeling. His eyes could have been bound and he still could have won. He changed the topic of the conversation quickly.

"Do you have a name?"

"Where are my manners?" The man said, and with a bow he introduced himself. "I am Fallon Carroll, leader of the gypsies of Merlin's land and sworn protector of this forest."

"Protector against what?" Mina asked wearily.

"Queen Morgan." He replied. "She feels that these woods belong to her because they rest on land that once belonged to Merlin. She will do anything to take them back from us."

"You're a long way from home." Gabriel pointed out, referencing his accent. Fallon smiled softly and laughed lightly.

"I suppose I am. This is the only home for me though." He put the daggers back on his belt. "You two look as if you could use a place to rest. Come with us and stay the night at our camp."

Mina wouldn't argue with whatever Gabriel wanted. She was too tired to care. Gabriel looked at the thick fog and realized they had no choice. They were damned if they did and damned if they didn't. At least they would have a warm place to sleep.

* * *

Fallon and his men had an interesting way of finding their way back to their camp. He and his men had left markers on the way. An arrow meant they turned left. A cut with a sword meant they went straight. And a ribbon meant right. He told them that he would tell them the way out of the woods if he could, but, as he said, "Whenever the fog comes, Morgan changes the woods. The trees move and the paths disappear. It would be foolish to search for a way out, especially if she has tried to slow you down." Gabriel felt useless thinking of Carl at the mercy of Morgan, but he knew he had no other choice. Eventually they would have had to stop. He would have hoped it was when he was gaining on Morgan but it didn't matter at this point.

"Relax, my friend, you can search for your friend in the morning. By then her spell will have cleared and you will find you way without trying to navigate your way through her devilry. Until then, however, it is best if you simply stay." Fallon began to lead the way, turning to the left as the arrow in the tree instructed.

It was a small comfort to have his weapons returned to him. Fallon seemed like a man of honour. He knew he had been bested in battle and he held no hard feelings towards Gabriel. If anything, he seemed honoured and privileged to have fought with him.

Mina was between his arms on the front of the horse, leaning against him limply until the lights of the fires came into view. She was wrapped in his coat and holding her stomach, feeling pain start from there and work its way out and through her body. He bent his shoulders around her to give her more heat as they rode. It was not necessary when they reached Fallon's camp.

He had chosen an ideal spot to set up their caravans and carriages. The camp was filled with maybe fifty or so people in a tiny society that was like a microcosm of a city. Women and children were around the fires, cooking in large cauldrons or telling stories. Large barrels of ale were piled next to one of the caravans and were surrounded with mugs.

The whole camp was surrounded by the forest and they had situated themselves next to a rock face and a small water fall that ran over it and down to the small valley below and out to the ocean. In the firelight Gabriel could see the Wizard's head above the small lake, and next to it was an engraving that he could read from his position riding into the camp: _Drink of this and take thy fill for the water falls by the Wizard's will._

"Merlin's land…" She whispered to herself, eyeing the stone face of the bearded man with a passion that Gabriel had never seen. He thought it was just a side effect of her blood lust and her need for it. He looked at his bicep and wondered as they dismounted and were lead to Fallon's caravan. He gave them a fire to work at, including medical supplies and clothing for Mina to replaced her bindings and Gabriel's trousers. The fog could not linger in the circle the gypsies had made. It remained on the edges, unable to penetrate the workings of the people inside. Privately, Mina pulled on the loose shirt and when it covered her top half she worked awkwardly to remove the bindings underneath. It took her twenty minutes before she was finally free. She tossed the linen on the fire in front of Gabriel before looking through the rest of the clothing.

The trousers were next. Gabriel's would certainly not do. They were much too large. One of the younger boys in the camp had given her a pair of his own, and although they still hung off her like heavy bags, they stayed on much better than Van Helsing's. He bandaged his own shoulder while she dressed, finding a corset buried under the coat they had given her as well. She looked it over, the design startling her. Across the front they had stitched two roses with sharpened thorns. She ran her fingers over it longingly before setting it with the coat. She would not sleep with it on.

Gabriel handed her a mug. She looked inside it and felt her lungs crush in on them elves. Inside was blood, and after further examination, she found that it was his. The first sign was the smell, but the second was the feeling it gave her when she held it close to her. It was the feeling of strength and courage, as if she had nothing else to fear. He finished bandaging his bicep and moved to his thigh.

"You're going to need to drink some before we continue." He said. Mina looked from the blood to Gabriel. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"You bled yourself for me." She said. He nodded, knowing that it was a statement and not a question.

"I cannot have you losing yourself in a village full of people." He said. "If you did, I would be forced to kill you."

"Sometimes I wonder if that would be such a bad thing." She looked at the blood when she had finished speaking and without another word raised the mug to her lips and drank it down, wincing when she realized how cold it had become. It moved down her throat and into her body. It was not nearly enough to return her to her normal state, but it kept her sane enough for the time. She would hunt for rats later.

"You wonder about death?" He asked her.

"Once or twice." She said. "When I was first bitten I conducted experiments on myself. I tested how long I could last until I needed blood. I cut myself and measured the length of time it took to heal. I tried every cure that was theorized and even made up some of my own but could not bring about my own demise." She stopped herself before she went any further. Gabriel saw some kind of sadness fill her eyes. Mina looked away and moved the mug back to her lips, licking the rim.

"Pondering death gets you nowhere." He said. Mina could no longer look at him. She closed her eyes, feeling her stomach pains stop. "Have you ever tried to end it?"

Mina turned to look at him, a little afraid at how he simply moved to that part of the conversation. She looked away and curled into a ball, holding her arms around her knees. Her eyes were tightly closed. She didn't know how to answer. She wanted to say never, but finally found herself tell the truth. "Once." She responded. "I once tried it."

"What happened?" He asked. Mina was trying not to cry.

"It was right after I had been bitten." She began, remembering the day clearly. "I woke up on the floor of Jonathan's study and found that I had changed…"

_She looked over at the state of the room, finding that it was in pieces. Every piece of furniture was tipped over. Every book and paper were scattered on the floor. Pens and pencils found their way to the corners of the room. Sunlight streamed in through the window, landing right next to Mina's face. She looked away from it because it was too bright._

_ It took her a long while to pull herself off the floor. She held her head the whole time, caught in a daze of some sort. She felt hungry, but when she thought of any type of real food she felt sick to her stomach. She craved salt of some kind. She craved fluid. She walked to the bath across the hall and splashed some cold water on her face before rising up to meet her reflection._

_ But there was no reflection in the mirror._

_ Mina dashed back to the study, looking around the shambles of the office. The sunlight was hurting her eyes to a point that she had to close the curtains and lock it outside. She called for Jonathan but there was no answer._

_ And then she saw his body under the desk. And there were bite marks on his neck, but he was drained of blood and had not been allowed to drink again_.

"So I walked outside." She said, holding herself tightly, remembering how much pain she had been in. She remembered her scream into the sunrise, the sound of birds rushing from the noise. Mina closed her eyes and felt the sun burning her flesh again, eating away at her immortal bone and undying skin and everlasting organs. Her eyes sizzled and nearly melted from her head. She remembered everything as if it were actually happening. The fire that was burning in front of her was the sun in that moment, eating her alive as if she were nothing but meat to be cooked and burned and charred to ash.

Gabriel's hand on her shoulder made her open her eyes. It was just a fire. It was nothing more. She took a deep breath before turning to him.

They said nothing. Mina watched him in the fire light, his dark eyes locked with hers.

"Something pulled me back." She said. "Something wouldn't let the sun finish me. I got back inside before it could kill me. And I hate myself for it."

Gabriel was quiet for a moment, still watching her. She had tears in her eyes again, feeling heartbroken and worthless. He looked down for a moment before moving his eyes back to her.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm sorry that I can't remember you."

"I don't want you to remember me." She replied. "It would make you ashamed of me. And I couldn't bear to live with that."

"I don't think I could ever be ashamed of you." He said. Mina looked over at him and felt her whole face go warm as her pale cheeks became flushed. "I don't think that anything I might remember about you might make me think any differently of you."

Mina smiled. She leaned over and without asking permission or stalling she bestowed a small kiss on his cheek. He blinked and suddenly it was gone. Mina was lying down on her side, curled up to keep warm. Gabriel took one of the blankets from near the fire and spread it over her before he took off his hat and lay next to her, a good distance from her, but close enough that he could feel her breathing.

* * *

Author's Notes: I don't know Britain's landscape very well. The information about Merlin's Land came from one of my major sources for this story which is I'm not going to try and convince people that I know what places look like, so I will just say up front that this may be geologically inaccurate. I have been to Britain but I was only in London and it was only for three days and it was about 7 years ago, when I was ten, so it's safe to assume that my memory is a little sketchy.

I don't know the likelihood of gypsies in England. Fallon was an idea of mine and I hope people enjoyed the knife fight. It was enjoyable to write. Fallon is an Irish name meaning 'a leader' and Carroll means 'a fierce warrior'. I thought they sounded good together.

It seems a little unlikely that Gabriel would actually camp out for a night while Carl was in the hands of Morgan. I know this because he does not give up ever. I wanted to make it almost impossible for them to get out of the forest at the time because I was inspired by the scene in Ever After when Danielle and Henry are sitting with the gypsies and they're talking (although they're a lot more happy). So I know that this is the extremes of the situation but please don't kill me for doing it! It was those silly plot bunnies fault! If people really have a problem with this, just write it in the review and if more people say change it, I'll rewrite the chapter with a better twist.

THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER TO DATE! The actual chapter itself is ten pages and it took me about 5 hours to write. This was split between writing and surfing the Internet, but it was still a long haul. It's about 2 o'clock in the morning, so I'll respond to reviews and then I'm off to bed!

Reviews:

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Thank you very much!

**_J_**: Hmmm…I must think of a better prize. How about an unlimited supply of Oreos? I just watched London Assignment about five times this weekend. It is safe to say that Van Helsing is NEVER leaving my brain. I thought the 'Holy Water Pistol' was priceless but I thought the best part was the ending with Queen Victoria. I could NOT stop laughing.

I read that Gabriel became the Angel of Communications when he delivered the message to Mary. I've been reading up on it a little bit and actually, Gabriel is one of the only angels to ever have been considered as potentially a female. Still, it'd be pretty awesome to be the Angel of the Internet, although your other Angel friends might mock you nicely.

**_Mrs. Mina Harker_**: Interesting idea! I like that actually a lot. If I can work it into the story I will try.

**_Scholar_**: Just for you I will now try and work that line into the plot because it is one of the best lines from Moulin Rouge besides, "Oh look my dear a little frog!" and when the Duke says, "It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside." Unfortunately, I'm not sure either of those would work in this.

Thanks for the luck! It should be a fun exam week. There are only three full days left and then four exams and then I'm done. Until I have to go and work for the summer. Oh well, money is always nice.

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: Surgery? What for? I hope it all goes well. Get well soon! You're a mind reader? I read Tarot cards. That's as close as I get to reading minds.

**_HyperCaz_**: Disney faeries are not even half as scary as real faeries. They are spiteful and mischievous and Carl is perfectly justified in his hatred for them.

**_Shadowsage Hopesong_**: THANK YOU! I would love it and appreciate it!

**_Grissom_**: Everybody seems to be out of school already. College huh? What are you going to study? I graduate next year and I'm applying to study Biology at University. It will be fun I hope. It's either Bio to become a Doctor or English to become a University Professor. I'm still not sure.

My knowledge of Arthurian Myth comes from movies like Merlin, books like King Arthur and his Knights and The Once and Future King, and a lot of web sites which ALWAYS have conflicting information. It is very hard to find two sources with consistent information. Morgan le Fey (or Faye or Fay or Morgan of Fate) is sometimes evil or sometimes good or sometimes an illusive force that seeks to embarrass her brother (Sir Gawain). I actually really want to see King Arthur because it seems so unlike what the real story was about. I'm also starting a new series called The Sky Stone which brings all the events into truth. The only problem is that there's no Morgan (my favourite).

The scars on his back were pretty much a kick in the ass in the movie. When Carl says 'some vague references to the Left Hand of God' I think everyone in the audience wanted to point and shout, 'IT'S HIM!' I don't know how Sommers is going to explain them but I've already got an idea of how the scars on his back were created in my story.

**_Morning All_**: I did know that Morgan was mortal. Although she had power she was also mortal. I made her immortal to correspond with my storyline that she has inherited the throne of the faeries and that she isn't really even human anymore. In some Pagan myths la Fey is linked with faerie magick. In fact some covens actually invoke her spirit when using a faerie ring instead of a magick circle. It's just an interesting piece of information I thought was pretty cool. I like your idea about her being a descendant. It could work. (Thinks) I could probably use that if you wouldn't mind.

**_Vampire Princess, Morwinda_**: It's not a big kiss, but she does kiss him on the cheek. I hope that satisfies you for a while, until they get their big kiss.

Nice job on corrupting your friend! I've done that before to my friends. When we went to go see Hellboy I got two of my friends seriously into the really cute Agent Myers in the movies. Hugh Jackman is absolutely gorgeous. I saw X-Men and I was in complete shock. He was ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

**_Sirhcvuli_**: I could never kill of Carl! Play with his mind, psychologically and physically torture him and toy with him yes, but kill him? Now way. If I kill Carl I would kill Mina too, which I'm probably not going to do.

****


	15. The Faerie Circle

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts pertaining to the movie Van Helsing in this story are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort and no intention of infringing on copyright laws was intended. There was no money made off the thinking, writing, and or posting of this story.

* * *

Chapter 15: The Faerie Circle

Carl could feel the carriage come to a slow stop. Morgan smiled at him, hearing the door open as her supernatural footman held out his hand. The tall creature was humanoid from first glance, but Carl noted several differences. He was tall and lean and much more graceful than any human male could claim to be. His hair was long and silver, pulled back from his pleasant pale face and hung down over his shoulders. He said nothing and simply held out his hand for Morgan to take as she stepped down. The sorceress looked at Carl again as she stood and walked to the door.

"Come. I wish to show you something." She said, picking up the heavy folds of her skirt before stepping outside. He took one look after her, unable to say anything as he swallowed the lump in his throat and hesitantly followed, nearly tripping on the step.

The sun had set, but Carl didn't know if it was the same night or a night far off in the distant reaches of time. The sky was a beautiful navy colour at the horizon and the sun could not have been out o the sky for very long. It was twilight and every star was shining across the heavens. Carl took a deep breath of the cold night air and shivered, more from the demonic sight of Morgan than the chill in the wind. She walked away from the carriage, over the stretched of flatland until she was surrounded by nothing for about twenty feet. He could make out trees in the distance and rocky cliffs even further, but his eyes were drawn to the dazzling white beauty that dropped her cloak and spoke to him.

"Only a scholar could appreciate this place." She said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Where do you think you are, human? Are you standing in just another simple lace to stand and think about all that doesn't make sense in the world? Yes, I suppose that would be your answer. That is the most mortal answer I can think of."

Carl was speechless, and all the while Morgan's back was to him. Her eyes looked over and over the plains of Great Britain, losing herself in a memory that she alone knew about. She sighed deeply, holding out the cloak to the wind before releasing it, sending the black cascades of fabric back to the carriage. She spread her arms out to the wind, the breeze rustling her skirt and making the long pieces of hanging fabric fly backwards and away from her slender body.

"You stand on the ground that was marked by Saxons, the Romans, the Celts, the Vikings…" She smiled wistfully, her arms still open to the sky. "You stand on the ground of the mighty Merlin. Well where is Merlin now? He lies under the earth, rotting and festering, the corpse I made him centuries ago." Carl noticed that the wind had begun to pick up, swirling around Morgan in a perfect circle. The grass was thrown wildly as the wind continued to gain speed. Her dress was twisted around her legs and her perfectly white calves were shown to the wind. But she didn't move. She opened her hands wider and the wind continued until the grass had worn away. It didn't take long for the circle to be completed. The grass was worn down to dirt as the flowers began to blossom and the mushrooms grew from the ground. Carl's mouth opened wide as millions of tiny lights danced inside it, thanking their mistress for the gift of the circle as they began twirling and singing.

"A faerie ring…" Carl said in disbelief. Morgan's hands lowered and she lowered to her knees, murmuring something under her breath. It was a blessing, and he heard the words clear as day but couldn't understand them. They were carried by the wind itself, whispered by all the subjects and servants around them until he was surrounded by her incantation. The circle glowed with a supernatural light as her hands moved across the earth, starting from the left corner, moving across in a straight line before stopping, and continuing without taking her hand from the earth. It moved into a diagonal, into the bottom left hand corner, before moving back up and into a point at the top. The last two lines moved to the bottom right corner and back to the left where she had begun. It was the invoking pentagram, the star of water. Carl recognized it almost immediately when she stood again and continued her spell. Her arms stretched out again to embrace the sky, and she closed her eyes once more. Carl heard the words for circle again, but her Fey was so quick and her tongue curled around the language so quickly that it melded together into an odd sort of song.

Fey was a sharp sounding language that annunciated the consonants and held long on the vowels so it was very much like a song. While many singers were taught to avoid extreme annunciation of the vowels, Fey dialect was like this so the many spells sounds like modern day Morse code when listened to correctly. Carl was in awe at how quickly it ended, and how fast the wind sped away with her commands. She turned back to him and beckoned for him to join her.

Carl was paralyzed. He knew better than to go prancing around inside of a faerie ring. While it looked so inviting and beautiful faerie rings were a method of enslavement for the kingdom of Fey. The person would be invited to dance with the supernatural beings. Even though their time within felt like a few short moments, the bondage lasted for years. As if this was not bad enough, often times a person inside a faerie ring could be whisked away to the land of Fey and kept as a prisoner to do God Knows what to.

"Come forward." She commanded him. Her voice left little room for argument. Carl was pushed forward by the pale manservant and found that his feet were moving without his consent. They were drawing him closer to the borders of the ring and then slowly, he was yanked inside.

His eyes shut tight. _Oh God, I don't want to dance!_

But Morgan did not make him dance. Instead, she stood in the middle of the circle and just stared out at her kingdom.

"You did not dance because I did not wish it." She said to him, though did not look at him at all. She stared straight ahead. "Your friends will dance, though. They will dance until my bond on this circle is broken. They will dance until they are rotting corpses." Carl's throat was dry and he swallowed the lump in his throat once again. His mouth tasted like vomit. He looked back at the forest they had ridden through and saw the fog start and work its way through, ending once it reached the tree-line. His heart pounded. Morgan smiled coyly.

"And the fog will consume them." She still stared out over the land and smiled wider.

"Come in, Van Helsing, and prepare for the kill. For the forest obeys only my will…"

* * *

Gabriel thought for a moment he was alone again in the darkness, awakening to the small room in the Vatican and finding that he was as alone as when he awoke with some sense of consciousness. He dreamed of that moment when he awoke as if it was taunting at him, laughing at him, chanting nasty things about how he could remember everything except his name. It spoke of forgetting, how it stole everything from him like any memories of family and friends and any sense of belonging to anyone but himself or the church. He fought against the voices and became suddenly and acutely aware that he couldn't feel Mina breathing anymore, and that she was no longer within an arm's length of him. His eyes shot open and he sought to see through the harsh firelight that blazed below him, and he discovered when he turned his head why he could no longer feel Mina.

She was seated upright, drinking from a mug, swallowing down large amounts of animal blood with every drink. She still hadn't noticed that he was awake yet, and drank like a fat alcoholic man whose only joy in life was to escape into his flask and never return. Gabriel gave no indication that he was watching her and Mina didn't notice until she wiped the red liquid from her lips and set the cup aside, breathing deeply to get her vampire self back under control. Finally, her green eyes turned to him and she blushed before wiping her lips again, making sure there was no more blood to be seen.

"Sorry." She said, apologizing once more. "I just went looking for something other than humans. I found a few rats lurking around the ale supply." Gabriel sat up, groaning a little from his sore joints that had no time to heal themselves. His arm was throbbing and his thigh burned. Mina could see his face was contorted in obvious physical pain and approached him, pulling the blanket off his shoulders and peeling the flap of his shirt from the wound.

Gabriel saw that the blanket on his was the one he had draped over Mina, but he wasn't able to say anything before Mina untied the small piece of cloth from his bicep and checked the knife wound over, prodding it with her expert fingers. He winced and hissed.

"This should be painful. It's infected." He brushed her hands away.

"You're not helping." He said. His eyelids tightened as she rolled her eyes.

"Men." She said flippantly and reached for the bucket of water Fallon had left for her before returning to the fires with his family. Mina had watched him as he told stories with the others, unaware that she was awake.

He had two sons, she knew that much. The younger one was Francis, a brilliant and bubbly five year old who trotted around the fire with his older brother, chasing him with a wooden stick that imitated a sword blade. His brother who was eight was Alan, who although very tall for his age and very strong was tender and gentle with his sibling, allowing his brother to win in most of their 'fights'. Mina had seen his wife was a blonde woman with her hair in braids who he called 'Aingeal'. She smiled lightly as she picked up the rat with vampire speed and brought three of them back to the fire.

"You seem to be a magnet for trouble." Mina said, pulling the water bucket over and ripping a strip of cloth from the blanket. The wound was inflamed, swollen up a size that was easy to see as being unhealthy. He groaned loudly and bit his teeth as she ran the water over it. Mina was quiet, running her fingers over his cheek and placing her palm flat on his forehead as she closed her eyes and pulled her hand away.

"Goodness, you're temperature's up." She picked up his hand and pressed it against the cloth on his shoulder rather heavily, making him grunt again. Her hands flew down to the blood stained cloth on his thigh.

"There's no need to get concerned over something like this." He said. "I've had worse, I just…" Gabriel thought about it for a moment as Mina found his hips wound in much the same condition. "I can't really remember any right now."

He was silent until Mina found another piece of wet cloth and dropped it on the raw and burning flesh on his thigh. "Now you're really not helping…"

"Just hold still." She said with a small laugh, trying to make light of the situation. They didn't need any more anxiety, considering Carl was kidnapped and now they were delayed by Morgan's spell. Mina pulled the cloth away and looked through the shadows as if they were daylight, eyeing the wound. She gently pushed on the skin, issuing Gabriel's leg to jerk.

"I don't think you understand how much that hurts." Mina smiled, flinching at the memory of her husband. Jonathan had unfortunately been standing beside the book case, sliding a leather bound book back into the volumes of others when the smallest jerk caused a large pile of encyclopedias to tumble down and strike him directly on the head. She had spent the night nursing her whimpering solicitor spouse for a bruise which apparently hurt more than hell itself. She turned away for but a moment and looked back.

"I thought I saw something in that wound." She said. Gabriel groaned.

"Don't tell me. It's something that will require you to touch it again."

"Well it's probably the cause of the infection, so yes."

Gabriel didn't like the sound of that. His leg wound hurt, it was true, but it was nothing compared to several other injuries he had suffered in the past. Hyde, for example had given him one hell of a concussion when he tossed him through the roof of the Notre Dame. He had no idea how he survived most of what happened to him. But he knew he would survive Mina's removal of whatever was caught in his thigh.

"Alright." He said. Mina brought up a belt from the pile of clothes and folded it for him. Gabriel bit down on it hard and lay back. She continued talking to him as if they were seated comfortably and simply having a visit, but he could feel the difference.

"The first time we met, you were…different…" She said as she dug her fingers into the flesh as gently as she could. Gabriel felt like he was going to lose consciousness but he held onto the waking world by the sound of Mina's voice. He dug his fingers into the ground above him as she tightened her fingers deep in his muscles, running the fingertips over the bone. "You were a doctor, I believe. A fairly successful one if memory serves me correctly." She pulled her fingers out, staring at them longingly for a moment before shaking her head and staring down at the wound. Gabriel was in agony. He felt like he would bite through the belt in his mouth. Mina continued quickly, finding the shimmering object before pushing her hand back in again. "And you were summoned by…a man named…Seward…"

After what had seemed like an eternity of agonizing pain, Mina's hand emerged, covered up to the wrist and splattered to the elbow in blood. In her fingertips she held the tiniest piece of metal, clenched between two fingers. Mina set it aside and pressed the wet cloth against the wound as Van Helsing cried out. He ripped the belt from his mouth.

"THAT DOESN'T HELP!" He said, sitting up immediately. Mina pushed the cloth harder against his leg trying to clot the wound but found it increasingly difficult. Gabriel's face contorted in pain as she held it steady, eyes unmoving from his. Her eyes softened and she closed them, lowering her head a little as she got a hold of herself.

"I'm sorry. After I drink living blood I get slightly sadistic." The look in his eyes seemed to shout out, "SLIGHTLY?!" Mina's whole personality changed and she hushed him slowly, running her hand down his cheek slowly from his hairline to his chin. It actually felt nice to feel her cold fingers on his hot flesh. There was silence for a moment between them, un-interrupted as the singing and dancing continued not far away. The firelight danced across his face, striking every feature from his sunken cheeks to gleaming forehead and brushed across her pale skin and round cheeks.

There were voices in the distant, lost somewhere in the fog. Both sets of darkened eyes turned to the forest, staring into the trees. The pressure of Mina's hand against his thigh lessoned as she sought clarity in the thick and blinding fog. Gabriel was on his feet in a moment, taking the rag from Mina's hand and pushing it against his thigh himself as she stood and took up his sword as well as one of the tojo blades. He neared the edge of the forest.

"Do you hear…?" He began.

"Yes." She replied.

"And do you know…?" He asked.  
  
"No." She answered. "Do you…?"

"No." He shook his head and tossed the rag away, ignoring the pain for the time being. The blood seemed to have slowed greatly anyways and he was a fast healer. Mina looked back at the fire and then to the forest.

"Mr. Van Helsing, I'm not so sure…"

He raised a finger to silence her, and she complied by shutting her mouth quickly. He was listening carefully to the music coming from the forest. There was singing and the sound of wings flapping as a woman's voice hauntingly called his name. He looked back at Mina who didn't seem to hear the chanting of the word, "Gabriel…"

It happened again. Mina could see him moving closer to the trees. She reached up a hand to pull him back when she heard her own name being called. The voice was male, and ne'er as she could tell, Gabriel hadn't heard it. Soon, she had started to move into the forest as well.

Fallon looked up from the fire. He saw them disappear into the fog and fade from sight. He set down his son and grabbed his daggers from his caravan before following.

Gabriel felt Mina's hand on his left shoulder, tightening slowly as they moved. She slid the sword hilt into his hand and he gripped it tightly, testing his strength in his arm as they moved into the fog. It deprived them of their sense of sight almost completely. They could make out the faint outline of trees and looming shadows surrounding them. The fog was cold on Gabriel's bare flesh. It collected in his hair and separated it into dark, damp locks that hung in clumps around his head and in his eyes. He lifted the sword up, wielding it easily with one hand. His right hand was useless. He could feel the knife wound throbbing alongside his heartbeat. He felt Mina's grip loosen on his shoulder a little as she trailed behind him, the tojo blade in her hand as she fumbled with it and tried to discover the mechanics of it. It took her a moment to get it spinning. When it sprang to life she dropped it and jumped back a little.

Van Helsing turned. She picked it up.

"Who created this?" She asked him.

"Carl." He replied. "Here, hold it like this." She held out her hand and he pressed the handle into her palm, pressing her fingers on the handle. "Pull the two levers together to make the blade spin." His hand was under hers, pulling the handle together and causing the blade to revolve, gathering speed as he continued to pump it gradually. Mina was in awe at the creation. Gabriel removed his hand and stepped behind her, reaching out his arm alongside hers. He placed his gloved fingers on the back of her hand and pulled it behind them. Gabriel reached his other hand around her neck and pointed at a place in the distance.

"Aim…" He said. "Now, when I swing forward flip the switch under your finger."

She nodded. Gabriel swung forward so quickly he thought maybe she wouldn't find the switch. Mina performed greatly, allowing the disk to fly off the handle and embed itself in a tree so close she could see it, glittering under the pale moonlight that made the fog so light. She smiled.

"Your friend is a genius." She said, walking and ripping the blade from the tree. The tree gave a small cry, causing Mina to jump back, eyes wide.

"Did you…?"

"Yes." Gabriel said, sword at the ready. Mina held the blade so tightly her fingers were aching. Another cry followed as the tree shook and the bark began to heal.

Then there was a laugh. Out of the trees came a willowy figure who danced between the dark silhouettes, giggling in her high pitched voice as she skipped to another tree. Gabriel waited for a moment, eyeing her carefully as she frolicked through the forest towards the sounds of the music. He and Mina were off and running, chasing down the wispy figure who was drawing them closer to the music.

It became brighter as they neared the music. Gabriel could tell that they were so close to it they should have found the source of it, but there was nothing in sight. He came to a stop, listening to the sounds of the voices laughing and his blood ran cold. Mina came to a stop behind him. Gabriel turned.

"We have to get out of here." He said, taking her by the wrist and pulling her back. Mina stumbled a little, her slipper covered feet bearing very little traction on the moist earth. They were drawn aback by the sound of the earth breaking as a high pitched ring move around them in a wide circle and came to a close just in front of them. Mina's mouth opened.

"Oh no." She said. "It's a faerie ring."

"And that would be?"

"A place of faerie magick and human enslavement."

"That stands to reason." Gabriel said. "Nothing could ever have a friendly purpose in my world."

"Well you're not going to like the rest of the story." Mina said shakily as the circle began to draw in supernatural lights that danced on the edge. "Human enslavement usually lasts about five to seven years."

"And what are the terms of the enslavement?" He asked, wary of the growing numbers of faeries on the outside of the ring. Mina swallowed the lump in her throat.

"That we dance." She replied. Gabriel shrugged.

"I've had worse odds." He said. Mina turned to him and shook her head.

"There's one last part of the folklore." She said as the forest faded away outside the circle. "They like the idea of human thralls and some have said to vanish off the face of the earth complete…"

Mina was cut off by the sounds of millions of faeries shrieking. Their ears burned so terribly that blood dripped down from the interior. A bright light surrounded the circle as the faeries began to take shape and form.

* * *

Author's Notes: The faerie ring is from Irish folklore I believe, and it's not the nicest place to find you're self. The description is as accurate as I could get, even though my resources were, once again, the Internet. The circumstances in which Mina and Gabriel found the ring are from my own imagination. Faerie rings are previously created as places for faerie magick and faerie dance to take place. They don't 'pop' out of just anywhere to trap people. But I thought it would be interesting to lock the two inside. Also, as you'll see in the following chapter, the events that take place in a faerie circle are from my own creation, but you'll see those later.

Would I really keep Gabriel and Mina inside the ring for seven years? It would make for an interesting twist to the story, but I would have to release them eventually. Three years should do the trick (laughs evilly). I'm kidding. They'll get out somehow.

Reviews:

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: Hope that you were satisfied with the small amount of physical contact when Gabriel teaches her how to fire the tojo blade. It's a little miscellaneous, but I could see it in my head and it made me smile. I hope this was worth the wait!

**_J_**: Gypsies, Carl, Mina, and Gabriel…they don't seem to have much of a chance do they? Eventually yes, Fey butt will be kicked and a thrilling conclusion will be reached, but I am having too much fun right now to make the conclusion too close.

Queen Victoria was hilarious! I knew she wasn't going to settle for a kiss on the 'royal cheek'. Could you? We're talking about Hugh Jackman in a fedora that would put most people to shame in your bedroom while you are scantily clad and wearing nothing but your robe. Hell! I wouldn't even offer. I'd just grab him and snog (awesome word) him regardless.

**_Scholar_**: I was considering using it in the end of the story, in one of my alternate endings where Mina follows Gabriel back to Italy and they get caught by Jinette in the Vatican. Sorry, I couldn't resist the idea. I don't know where the line will show up, although Carl saying it is equally as funny (gets mental image of David Wenham saying 'scantily' and cracks up laughing).

**_Shadowsage Hopesong_**: Silly Fanfiction. I hope you can log in soon!

**_Grissom_**: I went looking through your Fanfiction the other night as I was writing. It's really well written and some of them were really good! I especially like the one where Sara gets attacked at the crime scene, and it was all made even better with the line at the end of the story regarding Grissom's painkillers. Lol. Amazing. You're very talented!

Fallon will most definitely have to come in later. I'm having a lot of fun with his character and the events regarding his past and how he came to be in England. He'll definitely come up later in the future chapters.

Forensics is an awesome choice for a career. I was considering going into it, and I have plenty of time to change my mind. Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

I tried to play the Van Helsing game. I'm planning to buy it. How on earth do you get out of Frankenstein's Castle? I can make it into the main foyer and the library but I can't open the door on the other side of the room! Any help would be great. And the hints about being murdered for love fit in perfectly with my story, although, the woman I created has light hair. I've said too much!

**_HyperCaz_**: I hope 'self' was equally as pleased with this chapter. Have a good one!

**_Doodily Doo_**: The knife fight was fun. I figured I couldn't make it too easy from Gabriel. He doesn't exactly have the best luck, does he? And now a faerie ring. Imagine what he would be like in therapy?

**_Twaga_**: I'm glad you're enjoying this!

**_Vampire Princess, Morwinda_**: I saw that you posted a story on Fanfiction! I'm sorry I didn't get around to reading it. I was delayed this week with friends since I'm going away in about a week. No worries about the story though, I'll have a computer where I'm going. I will read it when I can, unless you've taken it down. I hope not.

Smirking is hard to avoid while watching either X-Men movie. I saw the first one in theatres and was in shock. I LOVED it.

Ouch! An iron lamp? That's going to leave a mark. I'm not surprised about multiple aspirins. I once took Gravol because I was feeling nauseous. I didn't exactly read the packet to see if there was anything in it. I was knocked out within a half an hour because Gravol has codeine in it. I've never taken a lamp to the head though. Hope its okay!

I couldn't help but have several injuries inflicted on Gabriel. He seems to have a magnetic field for trouble, doesn't he? Being bitten by Velkan, thrown through the roof of Notre Dame, tossed around by Hyde, bitten at by Dracula, whipped around by the brides…at the same time it's so enjoyable!

**_Kanaloas Wrath_**: Here's more!


	16. Dancing

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort with no intention of infringement of copyright policies. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Chapter 16: Dancing

Gabriel felt like he was floating. It was as if someone had given him a large amount of sedatives and spun him around in circles. Morgan's faerie circle made him dizzy. He felt like he was nearing the point of unconsciousness but he could never push himself to sleep. He tried to close his eyes but he was forced to watch the spectacle of her magick recreate the circle in her image.

The walls of the circle expanded, moving outward from the center and plowing through where the trees and the wildlife had once existed. Their brilliant white light immediately changed to a golden colour, burning like a flame in the darkness of the night. They stretched up at least sixty or seventy feet before falling over in an elegant arch. Small block dots seeped into the gold walls just above the floor and within moments they shot up from the black stone that was now running over the ground. They wove and dipped, creating an eccentric pattern of vines that clung to the smooth and shining surface of the stone walls around them. Above him a small amount of blue light trailed in but was easily lost in the brilliance of the chamber. When he finally found enough strength to look back he found the skylight of the pentacle star, bearing the corresponding elements with each of the point. Earth lay to the north, fire to the south, air to the east and water to the west. In the middle there was a black void that he recognized as spirit, the final of the elements, the keys to life.

He brought his head back down to face Mina, whose face was hidden behind a white mask (if it was Mina. He couldn't focus on very much with his vision dancing circles around his eyes). Her brown hair was pinned back with white flowers and ribbons hanging from the elegant knot from the back of her head. Her hands were covered in white gloves and her body was dressed in a white dress that would put even Morgan to shame. It dipped low on her chest, a feature that was irritating her more as time wore on by the look on her face. Her face was contorted in an image of struggle, and he realized why a moment later when his limbs moved without his mind telling them to do so.

He was in black, a colour greatly suited for his mood. His mind, although sluggish, made itself a promise that Morgan would pay for the embarrassment of his enslavement. The idea of dancing made him cringe. He had never been good while conscious and the chances of being any better while slightly unconscious was very unlikely. Certainly, Morgan was more than likely holding the strings on her two new puppets, but that did nothing to reassure him. The thought of dancing still made him angry, and he fought to regain control of himself.

Still, he found that he could not. He still felt terrible, as if his mind was disconnected from his body entirely, but the feelings of control that Morgan gave him as she pieced through his mind gave him the feeling of severe weakness, just as he had when he had awoken at the Vatican or in Mina's home. He felt feverish, almost as if his limbs would not support his weight and he would keel over at any moment. But Morgan was not allowing him to. She kept his hands locked with Mina's and his head still, looking down at Mina's pale, masked face through his own mask. The dark lines of the face plate told him their identities were to be kept a secret.

Or was this a memory? Was she feeding off the lasting impression that Dracula's masquerade had made on him? Was Morgan capable of doing such a thing with the powers that she possessed? He didn't know. He couldn't even think at that point in time and his mind clouded over and he felt foggy once more.

Mina's body was close to his again, just as it had been on the horse. He felt her chest rising and falling quickly, under her own control. She seemed to fair better than he did. Her eyes were less cloudy and glazed than his appeared to be. She still leaned back slightly as she was dipped downward, his face just inches from her chest before she was pulled back up and managed to utter one word.

"Move…?" She asked him. He couldn't answer, but Mina took that as good an answer as any as she twirled outward, the white skirt flying around her legs before twisting back around her body. Mina suddenly gasped, her breaths ragged. The corset was tightening around her chest. She determined that speaking was not allowed in this realm.

Gabriel pulled her back into him, spinning her around so quickly the corset felt as if it grew tighter still, crushing all the breath from her lungs. Her lips trembled softly as she struggled to inhale. His mind could barely function anymore.

They were moving again, gliding around the hall almost. Mina had lost all the ability to breathe and speak, and her eyes were starting to fade. The electric blue stare flared to life from her irises. She stared up at Gabriel's dark eyes, his pupils lost within his nearly black irises.

She was spinning again dizzily, the corset remaining too tight to breathe but she managed to keep her mouth shut as Gabriel slid his hand down her back and into the sharp curve made by the bindings under the dress. He was fighting. She could tell by the stiffness of his movements. They glided around the corner of the room again and suddenly the room was no longer empty.

The hall was flooded with silhouettes, each solidifying immediately and taking the shape of nearly identical pairs. The women were in white, each dress the same as Mina's with the same masks. Each male wore black, the traditional clothes of a royal with a black mask resting across his eyes. It was an elaborate game of hide-and-seek but the only problem was they had found each other and couldn't do much about it.

They swung around another corner before Mina was released and given to another gentleman, still struggling to breathe as Gabriel was handed another woman. She had black hair and when he took a closer look he realized who it was behind the mask. It was Morgan. He could tell by her eyes.

"Mind if I cut in?" She asked with her dark, melodic voice. Her eyes gleamed with a sense of victory. Gabriel felt the control over his mouth cease and he was able to speak but for how long? He didn't know.

"What's wrong Gabriel?" She asked. "Cat got your tongue?"

"You know the Order never wanted you alive." He replied defiantly. She grinned.

"And this is supposed to surprise me? It would make perfect sense, my dear that Christ's followers and personal servants (there was emphasis on these words) would wish to burn a Pagan." Her words were dripping with her cold and dark undertones. Morgan forced herself to lead, taking the control from him again as a dark voice in his mind told him this was fine. "But it's more than that isn't it? Why do you show such passion and conviction with your hunt?"

His mouth was still free, but he didn't like the conversation.

"I'll kill you Morgan. Catholic or not, I'll kill you."

"Not very talkative are we?" She said coyly, shooting him a glance of pure poison. They swerved around the room again. Gabriel wanted to look anywhere else but into her face. Her face was darkly beautiful. Her cold, unforgiving stare consumed him, and even when he tried to look away her voice was in his ears, searching through his thoughts. "Perhaps I'll just have to drag the answer from you. Why is the Left Hand of God so consumed with the hunt?"

The words hit him again. _The Left Hand of God…_ He hadn't thought about those words since his fight with Dracula. He had tried to find meaning in them but was left where he usually was with his memory: Nowhere.

"Oh here's something interesting. Anna Valerious: The first woman Gabriel can remember kissing."

"Get out of my head." He said coldly, his teeth clenching.

"And here's something even more interesting: Anna Valerious is the first innocent woman Gabriel Van Helsing can remember killing." Her final word made his head hurt as he fought for enough clarity to pull himself from her controlled stupor. She strengthened her hold on him. He groaned loudly as he tried to pull himself from her grasp.

"Get out of my head." He ordered again, this time growing louder. Morgan continued anyways.

"How did it feel to look down at her body Gabriel?" She asked him, leaning so close her mouth was just below his ear. Her cold breath moved over his neck and behind his head, gripping him further in her spell. "Maybe you can do it again."

She turned his head with her thought alone. Gabriel was spun around to look at the dancers ahead of him, finding Mina struggling more and more to breathe. The blood vessels in her eyes were beginning to burst and consume the whites of her eyes with red. Her cheeks were turning blue.

"I wouldn't worry too much. She'll just recover and come back, only to do it again." Morgan said, pulling his head back to her. "But I'm sure it will hurt you just as much. It's a pity you'll be watching her until her veins are empty and her heart turns to dust."

"Let her go." He said. Morgan shook her head and caused him to bring her into a dip, Gabriel face just inches from her own now. He could smell her, the scent of the four elements on her throat. He lifted her up out of her own accord and was sent back around the floor with her. They stopped seconds later as Morgan commanded a simpler form of dance, twirling out from his body before coming back in, her eyes locked once again with his.

"So this is what it feels like to be a wolf." She said. "Nothing but a doll to be played with. The rage is building up inside you though, and it's not just from Mina." She looked back as Mina slumped against her inhuman partner. Gabriel's lips tightened.

For a moment she was still, twirled around as a toy would be by a child before her eyes flickered open and she fought against the control that bound her body. Gabriel was drawn back to Morgan and his head was filled with more clouds. He tried to remember anything but even recent details were becoming difficult to recall. _My name is Gabriel Van Helsing. I work for the Knights of the Holy Order. I know a man named Cardinal…Cardinal…CARL. No, that's not right. Carl is a monk…friar…monk…Jesus I can't remember. I can't remember my name. Wait, yes I can. It's Gabriel Van…Gabriel Van…Gabriel…_

"You don't remember do you?" She asked him. "You don't remember Masada? No, Masada was just a dream wasn't it. And so were the Holy Wars across Europe. They too were just dreams. And there was never a Count Dracula or Mina Harker or Anna Valerious. They were all just silly dreams…"

_No, they weren't silly dreams. Or were they? I can't remember._

"They were all just silly dreams…" She repeated. Gabriel watched her turn away from him. Mina was returned to him, still gasping in her corset. She hadn't recovered from her last bought of unconsciousness but her vampire body just kept coming back and back again until she was dry. But Gabriel couldn't say anything. He couldn't move his hands to the laces and undo them. He couldn't even feel her. Because Mina Harker was just a silly dream…or was she?

There was the sound of laughing somewhere. Gabriel felt his head clear somewhat, but he couldn't drag himself from his thoughtless and mindless form. He felt something grip the collar of his...jacket? He wasn't sure when that got there. A second later Mina's hands were gone from his and he was yanked from the room. He flew out of the boundary of the faerie ring and was dropped to the ground by Fallon. His face was dropped into the wet grass and he could smell tobacco from his rescuer. The thick throated Irishman laughed and pulled Mina out in much the same fashion, setting her down a little more gently. Gabriel felt her land slightly on top of him, her arm sprawled over his side as she coughed and spluttered, drawing in air quickly before moving back into her coughing fit. Fallon picked up the torch he had shoved into the ground and brought it up, swinging it around the perimeter of the circle while shouting curses at the faeries.

"Get out of here you bloody bastards!" He shouted, swinging the torch about before throwing a small necklace into the center of the circle. The inverted pentacle hit the ground and dispelled the circle at last, causing the ring of light to fall back into darkness. The toadstools that created it were destroyed, falling apart and their remains blown away with the wind. Fallon laughed again and ran to the center of the circle, picking up his necklace and tucking it away in his pocket. He drew the pentacle star from the right this time, moving in the inverted Water pentagram to banish the influence.

"You bitch decided to play it that way huh?" He asked to no one, although from what Gabriel picked up in his still clouded mind Fallon was shouting curses and insults at Morgan without her being present. Or was she still present? He was getting disoriented with his mind constantly questioning everything, although he assumed that was the purpose of Morgan's enchantment. She was trying to confuse him.

"Well then Fallon's got a bit of a present for you and your faerie friends." He said, reaching into his pocket and spreading some dust on the ground. "Looks like you won't be putting any more circles in tonight le Fey."

Gabriel's mind was reeling. He couldn't explain what was happening to him or verbalize it in any way. Morgan was still holding him in her hands, still twirling around on the black, ballroom floor hypnotically, still whispering in his ear. He questioned everything. There was nothing that was real for him except that lasting image of her dress swirling and her lips curving around the words as she spoke in his ear. He closed his eyes and tried to get rid of the dizzying images, trying to block them from his mind by reminding himself that she was lying and that this was real, but him mind started to question that too.

Mina was finally breathing steadily again, still shaking slightly in the cold. Fallon knelt down and placed a coat over her shoulders as she grabbed her head and winced, groaning loudly with pain. Her head was pounding with the words of that idiot male, telling her that she was to die over and over again. She was moving slowly away from it, but it took a minute for her to fully overcome it. The pain moved from her temples to the back of her scalp, all the while telling her that she must die, she must die, she must die…

"Just breathe…" She heard Fallon's voice. He hissed somewhere in the darkness. A moment later she opened her eyes and smelled blood in the cup under her nose. Fallon nodded to her. "Drink it." He ordered calmly. She took it from him and eyed him suspiciously, finding his wrist tied tightly with a cloth that was starting to soak up blood. She didn't say anything, drinking back the feelings of mysticism and freedom. She was struck with a vision of riding a horse and of firing a bow. It was beautiful to feel the wind in her hair and the tightness of the bow string, to run her fingers along the feather on the arrow and watch it soar through the sky. Fallon had blood rich with memories. He had blood that made her heart want to start beating again. Van Helsing's blood had the feelings of loneliness. When she had drunk his she felt cold and tired and her spirit felt weary. She embraced Fallon's blood though, drinking it down until the lost drop with in her mouth and she opened her eyes.

Fallon was attending to Gabriel, looking him over as his scarred face twisted into a smile. She didn't particularly like the look Fallon was giving Gabriel. He was nodding to himself.

"She's in there." He said. Gabriel didn't seem to be moving. His eyes were open but there was confusion. He couldn't understand what was happening. "She likes this one. Come on, help me get him back. She needs a good strong dose of gypsy medicine and then he'll be right as rain…or a raving lunatic."

Mina shook her head. _Did he just say what I think he said?_ Mina half considered it to be gypsy humour or something, but Fallon's flippant comment about lunacy was making her worry.

The blood's effect was residual now, but it was still there. It was breathing free air and it was running with the wind, that's what Fallon's blood was. He was pure wild child.

He helped her to her feet first. He made sure the coat was snug on her shoulders before heaving Gabriel to his feet. Van Helsing seemed to stir.

"What do you mean, raving lunatic?" He asked angrily, moaning a little as he fought for clarity. He raised a hand to his forehead as his temples throbbed. Nothing Fallon was saying was making any sense.

"Oh so she didn't take your tongue? That's always good. Come on now Miss Harker we're going to need to get him some place where we can knock some sense into him. Aingeal will know exactly what to do with him."

"What do you intend on doing to him?" She asked, trailing after him slowly, taking a moment for her senses to come back. She hugged the coat tighter as she followed the silhouette through the woods, weaving through the trees.

"Morgan tends to use the curse of confusion when people walk into a faerie ring. It's not as effective on the undead, as you may have noticed, but even the strongest of humans-like good ol' Gabriel here-fall victim to it." Gabriel heard his name but his head dropped again to his chest. Mina was trying to keep up but Fallon was faster and stronger at the moment. His breathing was steady, and every time he exhaled she could see a cold cloud of mist rise from his lips. "It's a lovely little curse. They question absolutely everything. Eventually they just go mad, unless you know how to get her out of there."

They broke into the clearing and immediately Fallon dragged Gabriel to the caravan nearest the forest. They made it up the steps (Gabriel fell once, groaned, and was pulled back to his feet). Mina followed close by as Fallon opened the door and allowed them inside, pulling Gabriel back to the bed before dropping him quickly. Gabriel nearly struck his head on the headboard.

Fallon's caravan was small and cramped, but it was warm and homely at the same time. It was a rich mahogany colour and was decorated with coloured hand prints made by his sons. There was a wood stove that was burning and dishes were scattered over the counters. The bed Gabriel was lying on was across from the stove, but there was another in the back with the blankets rumpled and looking as if it had never been made up again in its entire existence. Mina sat down next to Gabriel, watching him jerk away at her touch.

Fallon sighed a little and turned back to the cupboards. He started searching through the shelves. Mina sighed deeply and looked back at Gabriel.

"See the confusion curse places her inside him." He said. "So whatever he sees, she sees. It's the best way to get close to us here. Both my boys have gotten it and have pulled through. They're younger and weaker which is a good sign. Unfortunately, sometimes you end up like Alan and you are never the same."

"Alan?"

"You can look for him tomorrow. Right now we've got to force her out of him." He said. Mina watched as he started rifling through the cabinets and pulled out many odd looking ingredients. He smelled them and tossed them down on the counter. She could smell them from her spot on the bed and her brow furrowed and face scrunched up in disgust. Some of the fragrances were not pleasant at all.

Fallon marched over to the door. He shouted out for his wife who could be seen through the window, trotting over in her dress as flowers hung from her hair. She was a plump woman, but was curvy and toned just the same. Her right arm was especially muscular and Mina recognized this as a sign that she was right handed. More than likely she could fire a bow as well and use a sword; two skills Mina had been exposed to but never excelled in. She was much better with smaller weapons like a pistol and a dagger, and even they had their limits. Her best defense mechanism was the bats she could force her body to take shape as.

The woman brought Fallon's blood back to her mouth. She could taste the spirit in it, the human soul behind it. The scent of the grass was in her nose and she felt heavy once again, weighted down by the euphoria the thoughts put her into. There were days spent on horseback and nights spent under the stars. There were the faces of his two sons, chasing each other and pretending to be knights killing off the faerie creatures that haunted his perfect world. There was his wife at the fire, singing in a low alto voice. Her words were in Gaelic and Mina couldn't understand, but Fallon's blood gave them meaning. He gave her sights and sounds of places she had only dreamed of and emotions she had never felt. That freedom and that 'beauty in all life' feeling collected in her heart. It was poetry in motion. It was purely Fallon.

"My, aren't they a right bunch of fools wandering into a toadstool ring late at night." She said. Mina looked up and found 'Aingeal' in the doorway, hands on her hips. Her voice was thick with Ireland as well. "What did you bloody expect from such a place?"

"Who is that?" Gabriel was slightly elevated on the bed now, looking over at the doorway. He had a faraway look in his eyes. The woman rolled her eyes and looked over at her husband.

"So he's lucky number eleven huh? I suppose it's fitting, taking him. Besides, something isn't right about the other. What are you deary? Vampire? Nymph? Sorceress?"

Mina's throat went dry. Her hair was around her throat. There was no way 'Aingeal' could have told her that without seeing her scars. But just with a glance the woman had read her secrets, immediately discerning that she wasn't a human girl. The moonlight barely gave her secret away. The living blood inside her made Mina's skin glow almost humanly again, and 'Aingeal' was no paler than she. Mina couldn't say anything but unintelligible blabber. She tried to make her tongue work but it wouldn't.

"Vampire." The woman said with a nod. Fallon smiled at his wife's shrewdness. "They're the only bloody creatures on this planet who would stare at my neck when asked such a question." Mina hadn't even noticed she had been staring. She pulled her eyes away and closed them, hanging her head in shame. The woman clapped her hands together and rushed to the cupboards, still talking.

"There's no reason to be bloody well ashamed about something like that. You're luckier than most in the long run." The woman was talking nonsense. _Lucky?_ _What was lucky? Oh, yes the equivalent of 'blessed'. She must be talking to someone else. I am not blessed. Damned is more like it._

"Her ladyship has no care for such creatures." 'Aingeal' said, rummaging through the items on the counter before digging through the cupboards some more. Gabriel groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position. His head was a little clearer but not much. He watched the woman pulled a sack of liquid down out of the cupboard and pour a small amount of a gelatinous fluid into a wooden cup. Fallon had disappeared for a moment, but returned a moment later with more wood for the fire.

She turned around and offered the cup to Gabriel.

"Drink it down." She said. "All of it. I don't want to see a drop of it in there by the time I get it back." Gabriel groaned a little as the clouds in his head remained. _Was that woman mothering him?_ She sounded as if she had just ordered him to do something like tidy his room or make his bed or wash behind his ears. It was a foreign feeling to have someone mother him in such a manner. Certainly Jinette came close, but his orders were not what one would consider to be motherly. How many mothers ordered their children to leave the country and go kill a werewolf?

He stared at the black liquid a moment. His instincts came back and he sniffed it a little receiving a slap on the back of the hand from 'Aingeal'.

"You don't bloody smell it!" She said, issuing a frightful look from Mina and a confused look from Gabriel. He wanted to do anything but just sit there and look from the Irish woman in front of him and the cup in his hands but he was too tired. He was too tired of waking up to the same dire situation in which the chances of survival were slim and the chances of his friends' survival were even slimmer. He gave in finally, placing his lips to the rim of the cup and tipped it back.

"And don't let it touch your tongue." She ordered. Gabriel wished she had told him that earlier. The substance tasted absolutely horrible. It clung to his mouth and stuck to his tongue. Not even his saliva could get rid of the taste. He swallowed (painfully) and nearly gagged when he brought the cup away from his mouth. 'Aingeal' took it from him and set it on the counter, waiting for a moment for it to take effect.

Gabriel wasn't sure why she was looking at him. He wiped his lips shakily and realized how much strength the movement had required. The liquid was still moving into his stomach but when it hit he felt it, but not in his digestive system. It struck him with a wave of dizziness that was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. His head swayed a little and for a moment it was like being trapped in Morgan's faerie ring again. But seconds later he felt something that greatly resembled a horse trampling over his head, stomping on his face and shattering his skull.

And then the fog cleared, but only darkness rushed up to greet him.

* * *

Author's Notes: Oh that was a fun little romp through the mind of Gabriel. Unfortunately I left a bit of a mess. That makes for excellent flashbacks, but that's next chapter ladies and gentlemen!

Now to give a bit of explanation about some of the information used in the chapter:

The inverted pentacle, although employed by the church of Satan as a symbol of the goat head is NOT a symbol of Satan in the story. In fact in some Pagan circles second year students of Witchcraft must wear the inverted pentacle to symbolize the changes they are going through (I'm pretty sure. I'll have to check again but I know it's not just a symbol of Satan). Most of the symbols I've used have a Pagan heritage. And, as an interesting tidbit of information to all who believe the five pointed star is part of devil worship: It was actually a Christian symbol during the crusades and it represented the wounds of Christ from his crucifixion (His head, His hands, and His feet). I thought that was cool when I read it.

The second thing I would like to point out about the magick I am employing in this story is that most of it actually can be seen in Wiccan rituals. Although the effects are amplified to make them more tangible and more powerful, the uses of the pentacles are accurate to most spell books I own. The invoking pentacle of water is drawn from the left point and to dispel it is the opposite (just as Fallon has done).

And I would just like to write this final note for reference to all the readers: Earlier on I said this wouldn't be a Mary Sue, and I have tried very hard to keep Mina and Gabriel from rushing into a relationship or Mina wimpifying Gabriel so she can shine. This chapter kind of gives the reader a sense that Gabriel was weaker than Mina, but I promise that this does have a reason that will be expressed in later chapters. I hope that I haven't made her too Mary Sue-ish. If I have please tell me in a review! Thank you!

Oh yes, and a question for all who review: Who would like to see a sequel? And as a follow up question, who would like Mina to be a part of the sequel?

Reviews:

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: Oh I'm a sucker for romance too! I try not to be but I love it. I love Kate and Leopold and cried straight through The Matrix: Revolutions because I knew what was going to happen. I'm not going to say anything online, but if you've seen Revolutions and love Trinity you'll know what I sobbed for. I did in a sense like the fact that Anna died, only because I really don't like Kate Beckinsale, but that's just me. There wasn't an awful lot of romance in this chapter, but it's an eventual thing. It'll come!

**_Trinety Van Helsing_**: I'm happy it could be of service and I'm glad you're enjoying it! Good luck on your fic!

**_J_**: I'm sorry about the timing! I didn't know at first when Stoker had written the story but it leaves a seven years gap in between Stoker's novel and Gabriel's journey to Transylvania (I think, 1892 and 1899, but who knows? I could be mistaken. I have to get through the book).

**_Grissom_**: I'm so happy to hear that you're happy to see an Author Alert! It's really nice to hear that your work is appreciated. This chapter took me a little longer than expected, mainly because I was unsure of how to write the faerie ring. I wanted it to be an illusion that resembled something from Gabriel's mind since Morgan could access his thoughts easier than she could Mina's (It's all part of this crazy plot, but it will make sense eventually. I'm not intentionally giving Mina more strength than Gabriel). I finally bought the novelization and was so happy about it that I read in three hours straight. It was fabulous! I barely studied for my American History exam it was so great. I loved the flashbacks of Anna's past and the emotions that were conveyed in writing. It gave you a much deeper look at the characters. The game however is financially impossible right now. Renting it doesn't exactly give me any type of satisfaction because it has to go back in three days or else those bloody late fees hit me hard. And Playstation 2 games are more expensive than DVD's (almost 8 bucks to rent one! I was in shock).

I love torturing my favourite characters. It's the main reason why I wanted Morgan to bewitch Gabriel. She's creepy, immortal, but I think she's a little bit infatuated with Carl because he seems to be a threat to her (he makes the weapons and in a sense is equally as dangerous as Gabriel). Besides, he also seems to indulge her intellectual vanity, a quality I think Morgan displayed mainly because in her time women would looked down upon and owned, unless you were the Celts or the Vikings. The Celts would bring their women into battle with them, and one of the greatest Queens in England's history was a Celt. Boudicca was a fiery red headed Queen who burned London to the ground when the Romans beat her and raped her two daughters. She rallied a huge army of over 80,000 and massacred the Roman troops throughout England. There's actually a monument to her in London and archaeologists have found proof that the city was destroyed by fire and tied it back to her. But, I digress.

I was reading your stories! And I took a look at your profile and found that you have the same opinion I do: CSI: Miami and that other crazy one is NOT CSI! You have to have Grissom and Sara (Nerd Love, I love it. Especially the episode where they're investigating the woman murdered in her shower and Grissom makes that little speech. It was beautiful). I took a look at a few of them and left two anonymous reviews since I didn't have much time to sign in. You're a very talented writer! I would offer my help to Beta your Van Helsing story but I'm going on vacation in a few days and won't have much time on my hands. Sorry!

Ouch. I've been there in a game. I've been playing the Matrix game since I bought it and have yet to beat the second last world on it. It's pissing me off! Aleera was my favourite bride, even though she talked WAY too much for her own good. Maybe you could just engage her in conversation and when she least expects it stake her! Alright, nobody said it was the best idea, but it would work in real life.

**_HyperCaz_**: I LOVE SHREK 2! I've seen it twice now and I love that song! I have it downloaded on my computer and listen to it all the time. I even listen to it while I'm writing (like the scene where Gabriel rides down the street and grabs Mina and pulls her up the horse). It's such a good song!

And there's nothing wrong with being a deranged psychopath. Just look at Hyde! He was deranged but he made for damn good entertainment.

**_Scholar_**: Faeries are crazy little things. I've never actually had a run in with one but I'd imagine it'd be very weird.

**_Sirhcvuli_**: HERE IT IS! HERE IT IS!

**_Doodily Doo_**: Oh, it would make such a great Fanfiction. I could just imagine the mental stress-and possibly physical pain-the psychiatrist would go through. Gabriel could probably send someone else into therapy! Or is that Carl? I don't know.

**_Beautifully Immortal_**: I hope this was soon enough!

**_Shadowsage_**: I've been bookmarked (gives a grin from ear to ear). YAY!

**_I hope everyone enjoyed this installment enough to review again! Thank you everyone!_**


	17. Prophecies

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort. No infringement of copyright laws was intended. There was no money made off the thinking, writing, and or posting of this story.

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Chapter 17: Prophecies

_"There is a hell, Gabriel. I've seen it. And you are getting dangerously close to it the longer you remain in the company of this Count Vlad Dracula." The man told him. Gabriel recognized him without knowing why. He was tall and graceful, with long black hair that hit the middle of his back and tanned, olive skin the spoke of an exotic origin, but Gabriel knew better. He couldn't assume that such a man was actually from earth, or mortal for that matter. He had the features of a Botticelli angel. His skin was smooth and flawless as if it were carved by angels themselves. His eyes were green but seemed to know secrets about the world a human could never have known. He was dressed in long green robes that hung from his perfectly toned frame and hid his rather small body. _

_ "I'm doing what I was told to do." Gabriel said. "And now I'm getting close to hell? Honestly, I've been getting closer and closer to hell ever since I started carrying out His work."_

_ "How dare you speak of Him in such a manner, Gabriel?" The man's voice was cold suddenly. It was sharp to warn Gabriel, to keep him on his toes. It was also to halt Gabriel's speech about his dislike for his…employer. "Never forget, Gabriel, you are his servant. We are all his servants. If you dislike it, take the unholy fall and be done with you." _

_ Gabriel's jaw tightened. It was just like this man to be dismissive with him. He was someone of great power and Gabriel knew it. He was someone that Gabriel didn't want to fight with, someone that Gabriel could only dream of destroying._

_ But there was a sense of comfort in seeing this man in his dream. There was a sense of belonging with this man, as if he knew him more intimately than he knew himself. This wouldn't necessarily surprise him. _

_ "I would never take such a fall." He replied with clenched teeth. "I would never give you that pleasure."_

_ The man across the room had a small smile on his face. He peered out the window he have you..."_

_ "And you dictate to me about denying Him. You should practice what you preach."_

_ "I do, more than you at least Gabriel." The man turned away from the window gazing at Gabriel with just a small amount of sunlight on his face. "Don't get me wrong, He and I both respect your methods. You are absolutely perfect. But I dislike your attachment to the Count's female."_

_ The words cut Gabriel a little. In his mind there was no attachment to Alice Daniels, the woman who the Count cared for enough to bring her all the way back to __Romania__. _But there is no attachment between me and Alice Daniels_, he said, clenching his jaw tighter._

_ The door behind Gabriel opened with a squeak. He finally realized where he was. He was in a tower in Castle Frankenstein. No, he was in Castle Dracula at the moment. This wouldn't be Doctor Frankenstein's castle for a very long time yet. _

_ The woman who entered possessed many of the same qualities as the male in the bedroom, but was definitely not of the same caliber as he. If they were both supernatural creatures she was not an angel or a demon of some kind. She was fair, not so exceptionally fair that she put the snow to shame but she was paler than the unknown male. Her eyes were a swirling mess of green and brown around her pupil and her hair was dark brown and messily curled, held up on the back of her head with a golden clip. Her limbs were covered in golden lines that wove over her body and arms, curving around her toned muscles and her defined collar bones._

_ "What is there to report?" The man asked her. The woman sighed._

_ "He rides this afternoon with the intention that Gabriel is to come with him." She replied. "His hunt will be far over the countryside as much as I could hear. I think that our presence here may be noted by the good Count."_

_ "It doesn't matter now. Gabriel, you will have to do it tonight."_

_ Gabriel was shocked. Just moments ago he had eternity to fulfill his mission, but now he had less than twelve hours? It wouldn't work. It couldn't work. The Count was brilliant. He wasn't as brilliant as the three in the room but he was smarter than the average human. _

_ "This is too short of time. You cannot just expect me to…"_

_ "It will be private and simple, Gabriel."_

_ "Nothing is ever simple, no matter how much you think into it. The Count will expect it. He's not as stupid as you believe."_

_ "But he was stupid enough to bring you close, Gabriel."_

_ "Keep your friends close, Gabriel, but your enemies closer." He said, gaining the last word. It was a small victory. Before his superior could say another word, Gabriel had grabbed his sword off the bed and yanked it from the sheath. It was practically frozen inside. He took it with him and left the room. "I'm not doing it."_

_ The door was so close to slamming. But there was a voice from within. And he heard his superior tell him that he would do it._

_ Gabriel swung his sword over his shoulder. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't kill Dracula. All he would do was wait it out._

_ "You will do it!" He heard his superior's voice call after him. _

_ He didn't know why the decision was so difficult to make. Count Dracula was one who deserved death. He had witnessed his behaviour first hand, seeing the way he treated his dinner guests when they failed to remove their hats at supper. He had their hats nailed to their heads. And his dinner entertainment was even more bizarre and macabre. He would have large wooden spikes brought into his dining hall and he would have criminals placed on top of them, the sharpened tip sticking into their flesh and slowly impaling them as they slid down it. Eventually shock and death would come but not after an excruciating death. _

_ So why was the decision so hard?_

Because it's not a question of whether or not you can kill the Count_, the voice was not his own. It was his superior's. _It's a question of whether or not your attachment to Alice Daniels gets in the way of that.

That's not it either,_ he thought gruffly, before walking into a figure that was coming in the opposite direction. He and the other fell to the ground with a groan, the hard stone biting into his tailbone when he struck. He heard another laugh lightly, airily in a sing song voice. He recognized that laugh._

_ "Mr. Van Helsing you really should watch where you're going." She was getting back to her feet, awkwardly, seeing as how her skirt was practically taking up the whole hall. Her face was white with her make up, with red lips and shaded eyes that gave her a very doll like appearance. She was dressed in an traditional gown, one that flooded the hall with white and blue fabrics. Her neck was adorned with jewels that gleamed in the torch light from the walls. Gabriel was in awe with her beauty. Once covered by a mask, it was now free to be gazed upon as he wished. She was blushing under her make up, but he didn't say anything._

_ "I should say the same for you, Miss Daniels. It is obvious it was not all my fault." She laughed again as he stood and offered his hand. She obliged, taking him by the wrist and was pulled to her feet. _

_ "Well I apologize, Mr. Van Helsing. These halls are narrower than the ones in __England__." She brushed herself off and stood there contentedly. "It would seem odd that the Count extends his invitation to hunt with him to a man only here to look into his finances."_

Ah yes, the cover. Well that wouldn't be my fault. That would be that moron's fault.

_It appeared as if __Alice__ could read him like an open book. Her blue eyes penetrated his skin and looked through all his secrets, his lies, his pain, but she spoke of none of it. She always just looked like she knew everything, and that was, for her, good enough. _

_ "However, it is not my business to pry. He sent me in his stead to invite you on his hunting trip. He insists that you attend, seeing as how it will not conflict with your previous engagements back in __London__ whatsoever." Her voice left no room for argument, although she had spoken casually, just as anyone else would have spoken in such a situation. It was because she spoke that made it hard to resist._

_ "I would be honoured to accept my host's invitation." He replied. __Alice__ smiled again. She took a deep breath and seemed very pleased with herself. "I assume it will get very lonesome here at the castle though. And being a foreigner and all…"_

_ "Oh, don't be silly Mr. Van Helsing I will be coming along as well." _

_ His heart skipped a beat. So this was Dracula's plan. This was his means of defense. He would drag this young woman with him to the forest as protection. _As I said before, he was smart._ Gabriel hid his anger though in the presence of the woman. She continued blissfully._

_ "The Count invited me just before sending me to fetch you." She said. "Does this bother you?"_

_ She read him like a book once again. Gabriel shook his head._

_ "Of course not my lady." He said with a small bow. "I'd imagine you could charm any animals to simply walk out of the forest to our party."_

That was the most stupid thing you have ever said to a woman, Gabriel. You'll have to work on that.

_But __Alice__ was blushing anyways. She smiled and nodded._

_ "We shall see. The Count says for you to join him in the courtyard within the hour." She curtseyed to dismiss herself and walked slowly away, only looking over her shoulder once. The moment took Gabriel's breath away, watching the sunlight touch her fair skinned cheek and move over her face. It touched her hair, sending gleaming rays of life down her glittering strands of hair. It was angelic. _

_ But her face turned again and she was gone, moving down the small amount of steps before turning a corner and disappearing. Gabriel watched after her, listening to her slippers striking the stone floor and echoing through the halls. He couldn't believe that Dracula insisted on bringing her along. She wasn't just a woman, she was English. She was not meant to be dragged across the harsh country sides of __Romania__, least of all with winter fast approaching. He loathed the idea not only because of that idea, but he hated the thought of Alice being there and him trying to kill Dracula before her. It was made more difficult with her presence because she was in love with the Count._

And because you're attached to her_, the voice in his head whispered in his ear. Gabriel walked away from it, regretting the day he actually started listening to the man back in his room._

* * *

_ "You should tell her." Gabriel said, pulling his horse alongside the Count's. Dracula looked over at his friend, shrugging his shoulders and speaking with his dragging Romanian tongue._

_ "I should tell her nothing. She doesn't need to know about the past Gabriel. Why linger in such memories as those? Bleeding together, screaming together…why I barely remember those things anymore." _There he goes again,_ Gabriel thought. Once again the Count was nonchalantly trying to stop him from reflecting on the past together_. _"Besides Gabriel, you are forgetting that those memories will transform us both into monsters, and she does not need that."_

_ "You still haven't told her about your old forms of entertainment?" Gabriel asked Dracula who laughed at the thought before biting his tongue. He looked over at Gabriel._

_ "What do you think Gabriel?" He asked him. "We keep a secret about our military past. Why should I speak of that past? Not that I am ashamed of it. In my experience one must regret nothing." He seemed to lose himself temporarily in the screams of a past victim before drawn back to the present by the sound of horses. _

_ "In my experience regret teaches a lesson."_

_ "Ah, yes, Gabriel the devoted soldier of God." Dracula laughed again. "You are a contradiction my friend. You fight wars in the name of God yet you break one of the most sacred commandments: you kill."_

_ "As do you..."_

_ "Yes, but Gabriel, here is where you and I are different." Dracula was gesturing with his hands a little, speaking silently enough that the people behind them could not hear them speak. "You are a contradiction because to do the work of the God you love so much you must break one of his laws. I am not a contradiction because I do the work of my own accord and have no laws prohibiting me from doing what I do."_

_ Gabriel thought about that for a moment. He was a Christian, yes, it was true. And Dracula certainly knew this because he took it upon himself to mock Gabriel about it every time they were together. But Dracula was not a Christian and certainly did not conform to those ways. So while Gabriel was breaking the commandment and contradicting his love and passion for Christ, Dracula could continue spilling blood because he was not partial to the laws of 'invisible supreme deities' as he put it so blatantly to Gabriel. _

_ "I suppose you're right." The Count laughed heartily again, tossing back his mane of deep black hair over his shoulders, the locks moving over the smooth furs he was wearing about his neck and shoulders. Gabriel looked down at his horse, playing a little with the hair in its mane with his long fingers, twisting it around his fingertips and chipped nails with the air of a bored child. Dracula pointed off in the distance._

_ "You look bored, Gabriel. Come on. Let's have a bit of a sport with this. I will race you to the river. Whoever wins may keep all that the other kills." Dracula said this with a smile, and all Gabriel could do was smirk._

_ "I always was the faster rider, old friend."_

_ "Ah, but I was always the better rider." With that, Dracula kicked his horse with the spurs and shot off into the trees. Gabriel followed suit, just seconds behind the Count and catching up quickly._

_ The forests outside the Count's castle were mainly pine, but the Count had winding trails made for his hunting parties to follow to certain campgrounds depending on the season. Dracula did have a point. He was a better rider. It was Gabriel who had the speed though. He could will the horse to run better, even though Dracula would laugh at the notion as well. "That is why you can only charm ugly women Gabriel. It was I who was meant to charm more beautiful creatures." He would laugh once more after that and charm the next beautiful woman that crossed his path, whether she was betrothed or not. He would simply take her as he pleased. _

_ The Count was in Gabriel's way. He swerved off the path and into the trees and darted alongside Dracula for some distance before he came across a wide and thick pine that destroyed his perfectly straight path. Gabriel cursed and turned sharply away from the path, taking a different direction entirely, but never once losing the sound of the cold and crisp river him and the Count were racing too._

_ His horse had bounded around another thicket of trees before his horse reared so quickly Gabriel had no time to react. He tried to take up the reigns and tighten his seat in the saddle but his horse bucked again and Gabriel was thrown off and into the thick needles of the largest pine he had ever seen. His face was scraped with the sharp needles and bark when he finally struck the trunk of the tree. He slid down and hit the ground with a groan. His heavy clothing was starting to feel like iron weights on his body and he groaned again, louder this time._

_ The horse whinnied. Gabriel pushed himself up, aching in pain and gripped his back. A few bones cracked and snapped as he did so and he grimaced again. _Damn horse,_ he thought to himself and grabbed hold of the animals reins._

_ "You have a smart horse." It was Romanian. He turned to see an old woman standing in the trees. She was the reason he was thrown. She was wrinkled and old, hardly someone who was going to live much longer. Her eyes were almost completely white and even her pupils were faded from age. Gabriel reached for his dagger just in case, but realized that the woman was alone and unaccompanied. He relaxed._

_ "Who are you?" He asked, his Romanian a little rusty. She laughed._

_ "You are the Count's friend, but you will soon become his greatest enemy." She said with a laugh, her voice sharp on all the consonants. "You have feelings for his bride, but you will never have her. You will never have any woman."_

_ "I beg your pardon?" He asked her. The woman nodded and laughed cruelly._

_ "Every woman you ever feel for…will die…" She took a long finger and drew it across her throat with a croaking sound, her rotting teeth clenched together. "There will be many. Too many to count. Some will be your allies. Some will be your enemies. But all will die eventually. You are not destined to love. You are not destined for that." The woman opened up her black cloak and displayed a wide array of locks of hair, pinned inside the flaps of her jackets. "They are all here, with me. If you want them back, take them."_

_ He heard laughing from nearby. Gabriel turned his head for a moment and found Dracula walking towards him from the forest, dragging his horse with him._

_ "I always knew I was the better rider Gabriel." _

_ He laughed again. Gabriel turned to look for the old woman but she had vanished._

Why am I not surprised?_ He thought to himself._

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Author's Notes: I AM SORRY TO EVERYONE THAT THIS CHAPTER TOOK ME WELL OVER A WEEK TO POST! I felt terrible because everyone has been really supportive regarding this story and I was trying to get on to post it last night but the Internet here is unreliable and screwy! I am on vacation now, although with my work schedule it could be considered that I never left school at all, and I left my home for my grandmother's over twenty hours away and without Sympatico Internet (You can tell I'm kind of a brat). SO aside from working and traveling and hanging out with my friend (who I haven't seen for a few months) it has been very hard to post this on the Net. So I apologize once again about the wait and hope that the next chapter doesn't take as long to post.

Just a little information about this chapter:

The man and woman in Gabriel's dreams will be revealed either in later chapters or in the possible sequel. Some readers may already have an idea of who at least one of them is, but I will say nothing until I write it into the story. If you want a more definitive look at their appearances, the man is inspired by Antonio Banderas as the Vampire Armand from the movie Interview with the Vampire (in the book Armand has auborn hair and is much younger). As for the woman, I was inspired by Keira Knightley's look in the new King Arthur movie that I WILL be going to see (hopefully. I don't get paid for a while).

The history is almost all screwed up in this story. For that I apologize. I tried to think it through as best as possible but there are still some holes. Basically, up until this point, Gabriel and the Count have been friends and soldiers in battles together, which they keep secret from the woman Dracula is currently courting (Alice). The behaviours regarding women are inaccurate. Alice would not have been allowed to wander around Dracula's castle unattended by her handmaidens and her betrothed/escort. Also, the chances of her being invited on a hunting trip with Gabriel and Dracula is also very unlikely. At first I was intending for these moments in history to take place later, but I went back and saw Van Helsing again (three times...) and realized that I was wrong. Sorry about the mixed up behaviours! I hope this bloody artistic license takes care of that.

Reviews:

**_Verona Dracula_**: I am glad you enjoyed Fallon's mother! And I'm so happy you're rooting for a sequel with Mina! I'm still working out some of the details, but I already have a title and a few characters selected for it. I was shocked that Anna died! I was so sure it would be a more romantic ending where she rides off with them to Rome and they live happily ever after, but I was actually quite happy with the ending. It seemed like she wasn't meant to be with Gabriel (hence the prophecy he is given in this chapter).

**_J_**: I wouldn't want to go into ingredients to any crazy medicines from anywhere. They put mould into penicillan (excuse me if I have mispelled anything). Morphine, laudanum, and codeine all come from poppy seeds and....wow, that's all I can think of right now. Gabriel is just fun to toy with, and I'm sure Morgan is enjoying herself.  
I am so sorry about all the times being messed up! I have to go back through the story and correct things! I put Jack the Ripper into history eleven years before he started murdering women (although in my defense they put Jekyl in as Jack the Ripper in The London Assignment). I was planning on having Gabriel meet Mina seven or eight years prior and was still debating over whether or not when she met him he was seventy or whether he was the same age. Any thoughts?

**_Mandolin_**: Don't injure yourself over reviews! It's okay. I hope you've been enjoying the updates you've come back to. It takes away a little of the suspense because you don't have to hover over your computer monitor waiting for another chapter to upload. Thank you for what you said about Mina, since it was one of my biggest fears that she would become a Mary Sue (too perfect for her own good, take over the story completely, steal the show from a hottie like Gabriel Van Helsing), and I'm glad you think I'm progressing their relationship nicely. It would be a little unethical, no matter how much history they have together, to simply plop them together and connect them at the hip (metaphorically, not litterally). It would be really interesting to see a Van Helsing/Kate and Leopold crossover (gets some really weird ideas). Yes, please go smite them with logic.

**_Ragweed_**: I LOVE YOUR STORY! Even though I'm not partial to the growing number of 'Dracula's Back' stories online, your story is dark and very enjoyable. Thank you for reviewing mine!

**_dontuwant2know_**: I won't lose the excitement! There will be plenty more to come, trust me! I hate Writer's Block! I got it with my other story and never forgave myself for it. It pisses me off to a point of no end. And Carl does ramble. Silly monk...friar...

**_HyperCaz_**: SHREK 2 IS AWESOME! (Jumps up on top of her computer desk and uses a hair brush as a microphone before beginning to karaoke...badly) I NEED A HERO! I'M HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO TILL THE END OF THE NIGHT! AND HE'S GOTTA BE STRONG AND HE'S GOTTA BE FAST AND HE'S GOTTA BE FRESH FROM THE FIGHT! Okay, I'm done now. I wish there wasn't the whole piracy issue. I used to be able to get whole movies for free, but it wasn't like I wasn't going to buy them later.

**_Grissom_**: I can't wait to write when Van Helsing gets revenge. There are so many possible ways to write it (begins having violent thoughts). Oh I'm having too much fun with this story. I need to make more time to keep writing.

I'm happy that you like the idea of the sequel. I'm hope to focus a little more on Gabriel's past (as I've done in this chapter) and hope to work out the time line a little better than what I've done so far. I'm still plotting Mina's role in it, unsure of whether or not she's coming back to the Vatican with Gabriel or I'm going to stick with my original ending and keep her in London. There will be appearances by several Christian deities, Celtic/Pagan deities, and a brand new villain that is more evil than Morgan and could even challenge Dracula with her blood lust, but I've said too much already.

When you finish I will probably be done this story, so I would love to try and Beta a little for you if you would allow me too! You already write some good CSI stories (which I love, and I hate CSI: Miami and NY because they lack everything that just CSI has) and I can't wait to see what you have in store for Van Helsing.

Stupid Aleera! I thought it was awesome how if you lost your hat you lost points (it was my first priority. I was running past Werewolf Velkan, realized "MY BLOODY HAT'S GONE!' darted after it and nearly got myself killed when Van Helsing had to put it on all stylishly). I never made it that far, but good luck with it!

**_Cassandra_**: (Smiles giddily at the review and is nearly brought to tears) THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I love you dearly-not queery- TOO!

**_MaySoFarAway_**: Congratulations of having something published or nearly being published! I am considering and writing a lot of original and publishable work, but it's taking me a while to get started since the story still has some holes in it. One of my stories that I would like to get published (small summaries are in my profile if you would like to take a look) involves a lot of Arthurian myth including Exclaibur, but it will take me a while to write. Thank you for the idea though and good luck on your own work!

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: GET WELL SOON! I am glad to read that you're recovering well and that the operation was (I hope) a big success. I hope that you are feeling better and that you continue to feel better! I am very happy that you are enjoying the story. I hope you continue to feel better!

**_Mrs. Mina Harker_**: I'm not a big fan of Dracula returns story, but it would be interesting to see Mina and Gabriel's reaction to him. It's a good idea! I like it!

**_Thank you to everyone who responded and reviewed! I hope that everyone has an awesome summer or winter (depending on the hemisphere) and I hope everyone continues to enjoy the story! Thank you for all the support!_**


	18. The Dark Side of the Moon

Disclaimer:  The characters and concepts pertaining to Van Helsing in this story are the property of Stephen Sommers.  This is an amateur writing effort.  There was no intention of infringing on copyright laws in the writing or posting of this story.  There was no money made off any process I went through in thinking, writing, and or posting of this work. 

            Chapter 18:  The Dark Side of the Moon

            _Gabriel couldn't sleep.  Outside of his tent there was laughing and talking, all of the voices garbled together into a large, resounding noise.  But it wasn't the sounds of his friends having a good time that made him lie awake inside his tent.  It wasn't even the thoughts of Alice Daniels as she had dismounted from the carriage provided for her (angelic as they were.  The sunlight and frost touching her cheeks and hair and as she stepped down it held great resemblance to an angel making their way onto the Earth).  He couldn't help but continue to think about his mission.  He couldn't stop thinking about the way 'the man' had told him he must complete it tonight, and there were many reasons why he couldn't do that._

_            The first and foremost:  Count Dracula may have been a murderer and a killer, but Count Dracula was also his friend.  As sick and twisted as it seemed, Gabriel held great respect for his comrade.  Dracula had saved him many times in battles.  He had pulled Gabriel's wounded body and he had made sure he had a horse when Gabriel's was shot out from under him.  On one occasion he had Gabriel lie with him while they recovered in Castle Dracula, Dracula recovering from the injuries he sustained when someone had hacked at him with an axe and Gabriel took four arrows to his back and shoulders.  It made the weeks in the room pass by faster and it was surprising that they did not tire of each other by the end._

_            The second reason was unfortunately Alice Daniels.  With her presence he could not bring himself to even think about killing Dracula.  Not when the Count was held in such high regard by the woman.  This too made him try and rationalize the situation somewhat, recalling the bordellos he had dragged the Count out of in the early hours of morning when Dracula was well beyond intoxicated.  He was usually surrounded by women of all nationalities.  He had dark skinned women from the __Mediterranean__ clad in light, sheer fabrics and ornate golden headdresses.  He had pale Saxon women, not unlike Alice, and fiery red headed Scots.  But nothing gave Dracula more pleasure than the dark haired dangerous women from __Romania__.  Even __Alice__ could not match the thrill the Count received when he seduced a local woman.  But __Alice__'s feelings were important to him.  If he were to kill Dracula how would that reflect upon her?_

And what if she found out it was me?__

_            Gabriel shook his head and turned over on the thick furs that were serving as a mattress.  The other blankets were kicked away, down to his feet and were tangled near the entrance of his tent in a conglomerate mess.  He found that he was warm anyways, laying in his tunic and trousers, his boots laying somewhere in the blankets where he had kicked them off without care.  He wanted to sleep.  Sleep was a release.  Sleep and bliss._

_            But it was always haunted with those faces…_

_            "  He found that he was warm anyways, laying in his tunic and trousers, his boots laying somewhere in the blankets where he had kicked them off without care.  He wanted to sleep.  Sleep was a release.  Sleep and bliss._

_            But it was always haunted with those faces…_

_            Dracula's words about being a contradiction came back to him.  Was he really supposed to be so haunted when he contradicted himself?  It seemed so.  The men who say one thing and do another were always haunted with regret and pain, whether physical or emotional.  He didn't doubt that Dracula's ease to forget and his lack of regret made him less haunted than Gabriel.  Dracula was all too happy to rub it in Gabriel's face as well, but it was just their friendship.  Dracula was outgoing, rebellious, dark and mysterious and women loved that type in the underworlds that Dracula found his way into._

 He would never fall in love.  Every woman he would ever love would die.  Every woman he would ever feel for would be destroyed. 

You're just scaring yourself Gabriel.  _He couldn't believe what his mind was trying to convince him of.  Not even two weeks ago, upon his arrival in the cursed land Dracula owned, he had his Tarot read by a young gypsy woman with thick black curls and heavy hoop earrings.  She was picturesque, seated behind a table with a scarf tied around the crown of her head.  Her wrists were adorned with bangles and bracelets that tinkled with every movement.  She had him cut the deck before dealing three decks of cards, each with three cards in them.  The top cards were flipped over._

_            Three of swords…six of swords…knights of swords…_

_            "You are a soldier, are you not?"  She asked in Romanian.  He nodded slightly.  She continued, her dark eyes moving over the cards.  "You have seen many battles.  You are returning from one.  You were injured.  There was a lot of suffering in these battles.  And you left them trying to find an escape."   The woman continued without much of a pause.  "That was your past.  In your present…"  She took off the top three cards and revealed the next three cards.  _

_            He couldn't remember the reading.  She had spoke of change and he had definitely seen the Death card in the third layer of cards.  In his future, Death would appear, but the woman had assured him that it was not physical death.  _

_            "None of the cards apply to the physical world."  She said.  "But I see much suffering in you.  Emotional suffering…you have lost a lot.  And I see regret and betrayal…"_

Regret and betrayal…You wear your heart on your sleeve Gabriel.

_            He heard someone walking around outside his tent.  He tensed immediately, reaching under his pillow for the warmed sheath of his blade.  His hand gripped it and pulled it from under his pillow, waiting with bated breath until the swishing of a cloak on the ground had come inside entirely and allowing the thick door to the tent to swing shut.  Gabriel quickly pulled the dagger from the sheath and turned over, sitting up immediately to look into the face of the pale angel Alice Daniels._

_            She was barely clothed, wearing only a long crimson robe and something (he hoped) underneath.  Her face was blank, waiting patiently for him to put the dagger down before she spoke or moved._

_            "What are you doing here?"  He asked while grabbing the sheath from the pillow and putting the dagger back inside.  Alice said nothing and crossed over to the bed, grabbing his hands in hers before kissing him.  She tossed the sheath and blade over her shoulder as she eased closer to him and ran her fingers down his chest, kissing more and more hungrily with each moment. _

_            Gabriel was in shock.  She was the woman in love with his comrade, clothed in his fabrics, touched only by his hand…_

_            But she was kissing him with the same passion he had seen her bestow upon Dracula.  She was in his tent, dressed in perhaps only a robe, and kissing him as if they were lovers._

_            He tried to push her away but she wrapped her arms around his head._

_            "Stop."  She said, biting his lip a little with hers.  "You want this don't you?"_

_            Gabriel pushed her off him roughly, trying not to be that forceful with her.  The robe was wrapped around her bare white calves and he hated to think of the state of the rest of her body if there was nothing clothing that part of her._

_            Alice looked up at him, her tongue between her teeth.  She got back to her feet, breathing deeply.  _

_            "I'm sorry."  She said, getting up to leave.  Gabriel couldn't control himself suddenly, drawn to the pale angel like nothing before her.  He got up and off the bed, taking her by the shoulder and turning her around again.  _

_            They kissed once more, his hand taking her shoulder and pulling her back into the tent.  Dracula was outside laughing with the others as Gabriel devoured his lover behind his back._

            There was more laughing, but it was faint and dull, stopped by the walls that surrounded him.  The darkness was gone now and his head was clear of the fog Morgan had put there.  Gabriel reached up and rubbed his temples as girlish squealing was heard somewhere next to him.

            He jerked back on the bed and fell off the other side, dropping to the floor with a grunt.  The hard wood connected with his aching bones and muscles, causing the bruises and cuts he had received over the course of the mission to flare to live agonizingly.  Groaning, he pushed himself up onto his arms and painfully discovered that his right arm didn't work.  The cut on the bicep was tied tightly with cloth and a poultice, treated with something that left it shaking and weak.

            Gabriel looked around from the floor, finding that he was somewhere that he had never consented to going to.  His eyes widened as he turned and looked around, looking at the painted walls and that wood stove to his left.  The two beds were messy and the blankets were kicked to the bottom in knots.  The walls were lined with painted handprints and finger painted symbols of protection and of enchantment.

            _Question one, Gabriel:  Where the hell are you_?  He couldn't believe he had wandered somewhere the night before.  He replayed the events in his mind, and suddenly realized that after the bright light swallowed them up in the faerie ring there were a few scattered memories but nothing conclusive.  He was at a loss.

            There was a laugh from behind him.  It took him a moment but he finally achieved a position on the floor that allowed him to look at the figure in the doorway.  The woman stood with her hands on her hips, her blonde hair pulled into a knot with flowers in it.  She laughed once again.

            _Question two, Gabriel:  Who the hell is that?_

            "So you've finally decided to wake up?  I was scared there for a moment.  I thought that woman would never leave you alone.  Although I can tell why she fancies you."  The woman waltzed to him, bending over and without warning pulled Gabriel up with strength that didn't precisely match her size.  Within a moment he was on his feet, stumbling and shaking, but on his feet nonetheless.

            "Here, sit down before you fall down."  He was eased back onto the bed, trembling and feeling feverish.  The woman smiled and clapped her hands together as if she were dusting them off. 

            "There you go."  She stood up straight again and smiled with her hands on her hips.  Gabriel swallowed hard and found his mouth stale with a disgusting taste in his throat.  He gagged and made a face, coughing the thick saliva up from the back of his mouth.  The woman nudged a cup back under his mouth.

            He laughed suddenly, taking the cup.

            "Why have I seen this before?"

            "So you do remember last night."  She laughed a little.  "You were in quite a state.  Don't worry this is just water." 

            Gabriel took the cup from her and swallowed painfully.  The water moved over his throat, raw and dry from however long he had been unconscious for.  The woman went about tidying things up on the counter.  She rolled up bandages with her strong fingers, the tendons popping out of her skin from the strength she possessed in her grip.  She tossed everything back up in the cupboard and turned back around as Gabriel finished the water.

            "You're friend's been doing nothing but ask questions.  She fancies you I gather." 

            Gabriel nearly choked on the water.  Some of it found its way to his trachea anyways and he was left on the edge of the bed trying to breathe through his full mouth.  The woman rolled her eyes and he kept coughing, and with a loving hand and smoothed her palm over his back and hummed to him softly, mothering him once again.  She took the cup from him as he finally finished, taking deep breaths of the air and drinking it in hungrily.

            "There, see now, feel better?"  She asked him before standing up again.  Gabriel was red faced, still feeling weary and weakened from whatever had happened the night before.  He grabbed his aching head and groaned while rubbing his temples to alleviate the growing, throbbing pain.  The woman closed the cupboard.

            "How long have I been…asleep for?"  He lifted his head with a crack of his neck, starting to feel much better.  The woman smiled.

            "Oh, for the whole bloody day.  Fallon's been out tracking a trail you can take out of here when the sun comes up."  Gabriel's brow furrowed.  _The whole day_?  He turned to where he was sure there was a window and looked out to the sky. 

The sun was sinking low behind the trees, the sky painted in red, pink, and purple watercolours that were splashed through the horizon and only yielded for the thick bony trees beneath it.  Long shadows were cast from the blazing sunset and the growing fires around the camp as men and women and children tossed logs onto the fires to help them burn.  The people were glittering, moving about with flowers and ribbons tied to their limbs and long, fluttering fabrics that covered them from head to foot.

            They were celebrating something, and he had no idea what it could possibly be.

            "We're setting up an offering."  The woman revealed.  She spoke slowly as Gabriel watched it unfold.  Fragrant blossoms were thrown into the growing flames and giant clouds of smoke billowed out.  "To the council of Avalon, the seven women who rule over it with Arthur, hoping that they will help us."

            "Help you what?"  Gabriel asked, turning back to her.  The woman's eyes lowered.

            "Did Fallon tell you what Morgan wants with this land?"  The woman asked while she crossed her arms.  Gabriel nodded.  The woman sighed deeply.

            "Morgan has wanted Merlin's land since she killed him.  But when she murdered him she had no idea that he had left the grounds to Fallon's ancestors."  She walked to the window before continuing.  "So when she found out, she swore war against us, vowing that when she regained her strength, she would take the forests of Merlin in one foul swoop, and that these lands and Avalon would someday be hers."

            Gabriel was silent as the woman looked out the window, her eyes moving over the running figures of her two sons as they darted to and fro around the bonfires carrying long maypoles as offerings to the wind.  She placed her hand on the glass of the window, her fingers trailing down in a long smear of oil and sweat.  Gabriel said nothing and watched her silently.

            "So we wait here hoping that Morgan is not so foolish as to try and take us over so soon."  She had a devious grin on her face now, smiling to no one in particular before giving a small laugh.  "You see what Morgan doesn't know is that the majority of these woods are right over top of an iron mine."  The woman laughed whole heartily again.  Gabriel had nothing to say.  She stared at him in awe. 

            "Don't you know what iron does to faeries?  It takes away their bloody power, that's what it does.  They can't move or breathe and then they explode into dust whenever it gets too hard to handle.  Our greatest defense against Morgan is the fact that if she was to try and take over her whole kingdom would be destroyed before they could even reaps the benefits of their labour."  The woman smiled and laughed a little more, obviously visualizing what would happen to all of Morgan's subjects if they were to even set foot on the forest floor.  "It's the reason we can stay here in this clearing.  This is where the majority of the iron lies and it's the reason Morgan can't touch it.  It's the outside one has to be careful of."  She walked back to the counter and rummaged through the things there once again, tossing things away in the cupboards with other oddly shaped totems and charms.

            "Don't take that necklace off neither.  It will protect you better than a pentacle will."  Gabriel looked up at her, reaching his hand to his throat.  He hadn't noticed the thin chain hanging there, about his throat.  He moved his fingers over the charm hanging between his collar bones and found it to be a familiar shape. 

            It was the Trinity Knot, and although the meaning was lost to him now, he had a vague idea of what it looked like.  It was a Celtic design that was used often to symbolize the three plains or the unity of the mind, body, and soul.  He dropped it back on his throat and swallowed hard, still recuperating and recovering from whatever had happened last night.  Whenever he closed his eyes he could hear the music (after he drowned out the voices from outside and the soft breathing from the woman in front of him).  He could see Mina in that dress and the raven haired beauty that had replaced her and scorned him.  Inside his head he could see her smiling coyly, her eyebrows arched elegantly to accent her cruel gestures. 

            "We ask for their help so that you don't fail in destroying her.  So that we can eventually live in this land in peace."  The woman sighed softly, still staring at nothing in particular.  Her eyes had drifted from focus.  She turned her focus back to Gabriel a moment later.  

            "You best be getting up.  The walk will do you some good.  Come on now, I'll help."

            The woman, although she went unnamed up until now, took his arm and without much effort, lifted him back to his feet and helped him to the door.  Gabriel found that he could finally control his body again and he was able to make it to the door without much help.  She was there to steady him as they opened the door to the cool evening air. 

            It was a magical evening, the stars blanketing the sky and the moon shining brightly overhead.  The full moon still made him shiver and he stood there a moment and lost himself in the brilliance, feeling the freedom he had once felt, the rage, the anger, the hunger…

            _"Even the moon has a dark side."  _Jinette had told him that, once upon a time.  It seemed a lifetime ago and that wasn't far from the truth.  Van Helsing's idea of a lifetime was based on what he could remember consciously.

            "Gabriel!"  He didn't even see the blur of movement before it had pummeled into him, harder than he suspected Mina had meant to.  The smaller woman wrapped her arms around him from the front, just as she had done on the back of the horse, holding him as if he would float away and disappear.  It took Gabriel a moment to lower his arms around her, finding her head pressed against his shoulder and her soft brown hair hanging down her back.  His hand was on the back of her head and his fingers moved from the roots of her brown locks to the tips resting just beneath her tiny shoulder.  She was still so warm against him, even though her heart was never beating.  It was the rise and fall of her chest that reminded him that she still maintained some kind of humanity and still existed as a somewhat living creature. 

            _And she called me Gabriel…_his mind told him.  Up until that point she had always called him Mr. Van Helsing, regardless of the situation.  But she had distinctly shouted Gabriel.

            Mina was silent, even as she eased away from Gabriel and looked him straight in the eyes, a smile on her face.  She looked as if she would have lost her mind if he hadn't been standing there.

            "How do you feel?"  She asked him.

            He shrugged a little.  "I've been worse."

            "But you don't feel any different?"  She quickly asked him following his answer.  Gabriel's eyes narrowed and he shook his head again.  Mina let out an exasperated sigh and tried to calm herself, breathing deeply.

            "Fallon showed me Alan, his brother," She informed him, "The tenth victim of Morgan le Fey and the second person on the camp to become an utter lunatic."  She ran her fingers through her hair, tossing it over her shoulder instead of having it draped around her throat.

            "I'm just happy you're alright."  Mina said with a smile. 

            "Well that's all fine and dandy but can I get down the bloody steps now?"  The woman put her hands on her hips.  Mina sidestepped out of the way.

            "I'm sorry."  Mina said quickly as the woman walked off.  Gabriel took a deep breath and winced a little when he found his strength was still sapped.  Mina noticed his weakness and was silent about it, but helped him down anyways by taking his arm over her shoulder once again, just as she had done back in England.

            "Are you hungry?"  She asked him.  Gabriel found that he wasn't which was strange.  It had been days since he had last eaten, but he was too tired to think about food at the time.  He wanted to get out of the forest and ride for Carl, but the fog still lingered in thick clouds around the clearing (much to his dismay).  Morgan would in his mind pay dearly for a few things.  The first was the faerie ring (although the memories were vague, dancing alone was enough to make him mad enough to kill someone).  The second was Carl, and it was becoming enough of a reason for him to take off right then and there.

            _Of course, there's just one problem, GENIUS,_ his mind mocked him.  _How the hell are you planning to stay in the saddle?_

            Gabriel decided to leave in a few hours, just enough to drink something, watch the ceremony, and make up some kind of plan to kill Morgan.

            "You should eat something.  You haven't had anything since…"  Mina stopped.  Had Gabriel even eaten while at her house?  _Yes_, she thought, _but it wasn't much._  She finished her statement with, "You'll feel better if you eat something.  Here we go." 

            She knelt down with him, setting him on the ground in a sitting position, lingering under his arm for a moment (just to see what it felt like) before lifting up his arm and setting it beside him.  Gabriel stared into the fire in front of him, the same fire he and Mina had been falling asleep next to just the night before.  It felt like no time had passed.  Mina was searching through the clothing provided for her, examining the corset and the shirt.  He was tending to his wounds (badly due to the poor light provided by the flickering fire). 

            "Here.  They left this for me."  She handed him some bread, not needing it herself.  He could tell by her colour that she had been feeding off the rats and creatures that roamed the campsite.  Her eyes were gleaming from the living fluid she had been allowed to ingest.  Gabriel took the bread but couldn't find the strength or the will to eat it.  No matter what, he just wasn't that hungry.

            "You have to eat something, Mr. Van Helsing, especially if you intend on traveling in a few hours time."  He looked back at the food and to appease her, broke off a small piece and swallowed it without chewing.  He held back a wince in pain as it moved slowly down his esophagus, tightening on his windpipe, but hid it from Mina.  She wasn't looking at him anyways.  She was drawn to the ceremony that was beginning to take place.

            The garments of white were floating around like specters, moving about the fires with their offerings of flowers before tossing them into the flames.  The thick smoke was rising upwards, only to be fanned to the east by small children holding large blankets.  They were lifting them up and down to create a current strong enough to carry their offering out to the ocean and towards the fabled Avalon.

            Mina turned towards Gabriel, her eyes bearing concern.  She narrowed her gaze.

            "Are you sure you're alright, Mr. Van Helsing?"

            There was a pause.  He rubbed his eyes a little before nodding.  She nodded back, still concerned, but turned away anyways.  Gabriel sighed.

            "Less than a month ago I was bitten by a werewolf."  He confessed.  Mina looked back at him, staring at him intently.  Gabriel couldn't look back.  He watched the figures moving about around the fires.  "I was on a mission, not unlike this one, but I was going to Romania to kill Count Dracula and his three brides."

            Mina's lips parted slightly at the words _Count Dracula_.  She nearly felt her heart start beating again. 

            "When I was bitten I only transformed once, but it stayed with me for some reason.  I can't get it out of my head…"

            Her gaze softened.  Gabriel closed his eyes and heard the howl in the corner of his mind.  It was his own howl, the long weary howl of one who had just lost something very precious to him.

            _"How did it look when she died, Gabriel?" _Her cruel voice whispered again.  Suddenly he was looking at her body, still beautiful even in death, still appearing as if she were sleeping in his arms at Castle Frankenstein after he had given her a healthy dose of the knock-out dust.  Anna was beautiful, it was true.  She was Gabriel's type, aggressive and dangerous, armed to the teeth with every sharp and fatal object known to man.  Her ferocious eyes and vivid stare were all the more signs of a true hunter, the marks that time and training leave on a person.  When he had first seen her he had seen something he had never seen in women before.  He had seen himself. 

            "I used Dracula's cure."  He confessed.  He had never spoken about the event even to Carl since it had happened.  They had brushed the subject but always lightly. 

            Mina's eyes were vivid and locked on him, her brows arching at the thought and meaning of his words.  They seemed to make her breathe very deeply and her expression was melancholic, lost in a train of thought that was far away from her and Gabriel.

            She looked away and nodded.

            "I know."  She replied.  "I knew when I drank your blood.  I imagine I knew the first moment I found you in Hamilton's house that you had."

            Her eyes were back on him again.

            "Do you miss it?"

            "Miss what?"  He asked, growing weary of conversation and laying back on the ground.  Mina continued anyways, knowing he wouldn't sleep.

            "Do you miss being a wolf?"  She asked him. 

            Gabriel's eyes opened at the question.  Mina's eyes were still on him, locked with his face. 

            "I assume it feels like being a vampire."  She said, turning away and staring at the ceremonial pacing that was taking place by the fires in front of her.  "It feels like the whole world is yours suddenly and the rage eats you alive, tearing you up from inside like a disease.  And the hunger…"

            Mina choked on her words.  Gabriel closed his eyes again, remembering, lost in the life he could remember. 

            _Yes Mina, it does feel very much the same as that.  The hunger chewing at you from within as the rage feasts off every conscious thought and locks you inside the cage of the werewolf venom.  It's losing all your self control and inhibitions and becoming the basic fury that lies underneath the surface of every human being.  And even though it feels like your drowning you cannot die, and the lack of breath doesn't stop the primary instincts that flare to life.  _

            He smiled wistfully and gave a small laugh.  Mina was taken out of her vigil by his throaty chuckle and she turned. 

            "What's so funny?"  Gabriel's eyes were still closed.  _He's talking in his sleep…_Mina thought for a moment.  But his hand lifted and he pointed from himself to Mina's general direction.

            Then his hand fell, and his last words before sleep took him were inaudible, but after a moment Mina found that she understood them.

            "There's a dark side to every moon."  He had said.  It made her smile.

Author_'_s Notes:  This chapter took me a little more than a week to post, and I am trying to post ASAP because of my schedule.  I've been working on this for a while and have found that it's getting easier to write because my schedule is more concrete.  I work from ten till three or four in the afternoon (five or six hours a day, which isn't bad if you consider what other people have to work).  Next week I have an eight hour shift and am scared about it because I will be all alone (big shriek).  Oh well, I'm sure it will be okay.  How badly can one person screw up anyways?

            There's not a lot of excitement in this chapter.  It's a lot of dialogue, but I am setting it up for a pretty big realization (ie Gabriel talking to no one in particular at something he just discovered even though the audience has caught on, and in this case I'm making a direct reference to Carl's line:  some 'vague references to the Left Hand of God', which in the movie WERE NOT THAT VAGUE).  Also I'm deepening the relationship with Mina and Gabriel to set it up for 'the big kiss' (You know, the pretty cliché moment where the main characters grab each other in a frenzy of passion and the whole theatre is enthralled) and the possible sequel (which I'm still working out).

            In the beginning of the chapter (when I was describing Gabriel's relationship with Dracula) I wrote in that they shared a room together while injured.  This is taken from the book The Sky Stone when the two characters have their beds pushed together to shorten the length of recovery time with each other's company.

            But there's more excitement and more Carl in the next chapter so it will hopefully make up for this chapter.

Reviews: 

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**:  I don't know if I could kill off anyone at this point.  Gabriel is my favourite character to write for, and that's saying a lot considering I've never been able to write well for male characters.  Carl is well, Carl, and killing him would be too hard (although I could do something really interesting….NO!  Sadistic thoughts!).  Mina has really grown on me.  Jinette is fun as well.  Morgan however…oh well, she's the villain. 

I like the casualties of war idea too.  It's employed in a lot of my favourite movies (The Matrix) and favourite books (Cold Mountain, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Stephen used it really originally in Van Helsing (unless he intends to bring Anna back…growls).  If I found a character I could do it with, I could use it in this story or the possible sequel.

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**:  Oh my goodness!  I'm glad that you're recovering and that there's not a major problem (although a lung collapse is pretty serious).  I hope that the rest of your recovery is quick and successful without any more complications!  Thank you very much for sticking with my story!

**_Scholar_**:  I felt like I had to give the visuals.  It's easier to imagine something when you have a definitive idea of what you're looking at and thinking about.  I think that's the main reason people like writing Fanfiction before tackling original fiction because the characters are already there and there's not a lot of vivid descriptions that they have to make up on their own.  I'm not saying that Fanfiction writers don't have a lot of imagination.  Hell, a lot of Fanfiction writers have more imagination that original fiction authors.  It's easier to write about Gabriel Van Helsing with the image of Hugh Jackman and the dialogue from the movie in your head than write from scratch about characters you have to create on your own.  But that's just me.

            I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

**_Grissom_**:  I wish I knew what I was intending to say there, but even I've confused myself.  Maybe I forgot a quotation mark.  Bloody hell (slaps forehead).  I've really got to start proofreading better.  Sorry about that.

            I was happy to share so of my ideas on the sequel.  I'm considering writing a trailer which will be posted at the end of Shards and see what everyone thinks (the saved copy of my trailer is at my computer at home and I can't post it until I get back anyways…growls).  I've still got some fine tuning to do with the plot, but I can tell everyone that it will focus more on Gabriel's past that Shards does, and the two characters from the previous chapter (the man and woman) will play a much bigger role.  I can tell everyone that the characters are not from Dracula, but I'm not saying anything more than that.

            I'm plotting bigger and more evil ways to get back at Morgan (by this time Gabriel's pretty angry).  I can't wait to write her death or mortal injury, although the movie does state that Gabriel's methods are admired (so Morgan's probably going to die).  The only detail I have to work in is the connection to the sequel, since I need Morgan to set up the villain for it (otherwise the villain would pop out of nowhere and I hate plot holes, mainly because my stories usually have one or two by the time I'm finished with them). 

            Lol.  I laughed when I read the part in your review about the Dwergi putting the hat on.  I now want to rent the game and play until that part simply to see it happen (laughs)  Sommers so should have put that in the movie and just have had Gabriel go psychotic on the Dwergi's back side.  Or if Carl went after one, but either way I would have been entertained.

            On a final note, I love long reviews and short reviews.  Besides, I like talking/writing about some of my favourite topics with people (Van Helsing counts).  So don't feel bad about the length!  Regardless of its length it makes me smile.

**_J_**:  Thanks for setting me straight on the Ripper killings.  I have read a couple of accounts but didn't look too hard at the dates.  One of the main things that screwed me up was thinking that every single one of his murders happened at the turn of the century and that lead to the screw up with my time and Stoker's time. 

            I don't know how old I'll make Gabriel.  One could assume that he was twenty-ish because Mina recognized him really quickly.  Then again, one could also assume that Gabriel's facial features were still the same (I tried to be as vague about Mina's ability to recognize Gabriel to avoid any plot hole about the topic).   That way I could make the decision later on and it would still be consistent. 

            I started reading Lady Erised's In the Name of God and was in shock.  She is good!

**_HyperCaz_**:  I agree with you.  I wouldn't bring back Dracula unless there was a big reason to.  Although some people have some very good stories about it, it's not something I would want to do.  The best sequels in the world are the ones that build on the original characters with an original storyline.  Most of the time if I villain is brought back from hibernation or death it's not the best option (unless they didn't die in the predecessor and were able to come back plausibly). 

            I just saw Spider-Man 2 and wanted to slap him every time his mask 'fell' off or whatever (even though more of Tobey Maguire's face isn't all bad). 

**_Quicksilver_**:  Thank you! 

**_I'm glad that everyone has been enjoying the story (spelling errors aside).  I love reading every review I get.  It's nice to hear that people are enjoying my work.  I promise for more excitement but please review again!_**


	19. The Four Queens

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort. No infringement on copyright laws was intended.

* * *

Chapter 19: The Four Queens

_He had run from the room. He was weakened and wanted to collapse again, his mind begging his body for sleep. But how could allow such a thing right now? The only thought in his mind was his need to be freed from his new prison. He needed to break out of the tiny room and out of the __Vatican__ completely, out into the free streets of __Rome__ and the wide world again._

_ Ever since he had started to awaken from the chemical sleep he was placed under he was trying to remember. He would drift back slowly in his mind, replaying the events in chronological order starting with the most recent. The only problem was the long moments of looking back at his memory caused him to become tired again, and nothing could keep him conscious any longer. He would surrender himself to the drugs in his body and the pain from his wounds and slip in the oblivion that was always waiting to catch him. _

_ But it was only oblivion for a short amount of time. Not much later it would yield to dreams of blood. It was the past, he knew it, but all he could remember is the loss he felt when he would awake once again._

_ And then he would try to remember. It was the cruelest circle he had ever been trapped in._

_ He pushed his back against the cold stone wall as he rounded the corner, the injuries on his back stinging from the sweat that traveled down from under his thick black curls and seeped under the tight cotton tourniquet. He let out a soft hiss, breathing slowly to get his thoughts in order. _

Alright Gabriel, you're trapped in an underground labyrinth. You have to get to the surface. There has to be some way out of here.

_He heard voices next to him, far off from the corridor he had just darted down. They were speaking in rushed Italian, their mouths moving so quickly that their conversation was hard to make out, especially with Gabriel in the state he was in. He hugged his arms around his bare waist, leaning over for a moment before straightening up again. Two friars rushed by, still talking in rushed and garbled Italian. Gabriel could just make out their descriptions of a 'crazed stranger who nearly took off Friar Carl's head'._

That's a lie, _he thought to himself, looking to his right and down the long hall in front of him. He had a choice. He could take his luck with this hall or backtrack until he found somewhere else to escape from. Gabriel decided that if people were coming from that direction, it was a good chance there were more where those two came from. He looked over his shoulder once more before heading off in the opposite direction, straight to the right, staggering a little with his growing exhaustion. He reached out and gripped the wall with strong fingertips, feeling his mind finally stop reeling and exert itself further than Gabriel thought it could at this point. He was a hunter again, his senses sharp and his mind focused on one goal: escape._

_ He ran down the hall, his feet making very little noise on the stone floor. He heard the voices coming back to the entrance and Gabriel's instincts took over. He grabbed hold of a door handle and slid inside the nearest room. _

_ It was empty luckily. It looked like the one he had just run from, stone walls, small cot, a chair in the corner, a crucifix on the wall…Gabriel felt sick to his stomach from returning to a place like this. Claustrophobia was beginning to set in._

_ He heard the voices vanish. Quickly he left the room, taking off down the hall again, just turning in enough time to hear them shout for help, and that they had spotted their prey down the hall._

_ Gabriel was filled with renewed strength. He was running towards a cast iron gate that blocked off the whole hall from passage. He grabbed hold of the door and pushed it open with everything he had left in his body. He swung it shut with a strength that he gathered from somewhere else, and he knew that it had alerted his pursuers._

_ But the footsteps had stopped further back in the hallway._ _Gabriel turned, only to see the door he had just passed through and not the answering silhouettes of his religious pursuers. The thought made him think about his current location. It could mean that he had reached the end of the line and that they were not worried about him escaping because there was nowhere to escape from._

Or it could mean that they don't care if I escape anymore_, he suggested, but the voice in the back of his head was telling him otherwise. It was telling him that the friars knew something he didn't about the path he had chosen. _

What could possibly be dangerous about the Vatican? _He thought with a small smirk before turning back around and looking at his options._

_ He was in a large, domed room made of solid gray brick. The round walls had large open arched doorways to pass through- _And hide behind, he thought to him self –_and the roof was hard to see from the bad lighting on the walls. The torches did not penetrate the shadow at the top of the room._

_ Gabriel's eyelids lowered slightly, his senses sharpening still. He slowly backed away from the middle of the room as the shadow started writhing and stretching. The torches started to flicker and the flames started to lower, giving more room for the shadow to move. _

Well at least I know why they turned and ran, _he thought to himself, reaching his arm out for the wall as he hit the side of the arch. He eased back to the wall, mouth frozen in a straight line, his composure controlled but free to move as he needed to._

"Find a weapon,"_ his mind told him. He looked around as the torches dimmed further, turning around and looking at the circular passage between him self and the wall. A small cart was set up there with pistols and two silver disks with a Chinese design engraved on them. He looked over his shoulder once more before making a move to the cart, grabbing a pistol and loading it with whatever bullets he could find on the table. They were some of the strangest bullets he had ever seen, some made of thick glass and filled with different coloured liquids. He inspected the disks, taking hold of the handle of one and lifting it up._

"What the…?"_ He pulled the levers together. The disk popped open and a spinning blade protruded from the sides, nearly taking Gabriel's hand off. He watched his reflection in the blade, frightened at how animal like he had become. He was shave – badly, explaining the small beard that was beginning to grow – his hair was a mess, his body was covered in bruises and there was a large lump on the side of his head. He ignored his face and turned back to the growing shadows, now heavily armed._

_ The creature swooped down from the ceiling, the shadows masking it temporarily. It took only seconds for his brain to register what it really was. _Gargoyle,_ the voice told him. _Just shoot it, and make sure that when you're finished it's nothing but dust.

_Gabriel took off to the left as three more gargoyles swooped in for the kill. He swung his body around, his back begging for him not to as his stitches stretched and ripped through the flesh. He winced but used the pain as fuel. It kept him awake. It kept him focused. It let him know he was still alive._

_ The first exploded in a cloud of dust just as the gun clicked. The barrel was empty. He swore to himself and ducked before the second could grab him with the heavy stone claws and fly him upwards to feast on his body or to drop him to the stone floor below. The second missed him, but the third would not._

_ Gabriel tightened his fist on the levers of the small revolving blade and swung upwards, cutting the beast straight through the solid skull, down the back of the scalp before digging it deep into the spine and ripping the gargoyle from the nape of the neck, between the wings and straight to the tail. The creature let out a scream that would forever ring inside Gabriel's head. It shrieked with such a fury it made Gabriel's wound pound, his head spin, and his ears bleed. He swung the blade again across the throat and kicked the body to the wall._

WHO THE HELL FILLS A HOUSE OF GOD WITH GARGOYLES?! _He wanted to scream, but he had little time before an onslaught of the creatures flew down from the ledge on the ceiling. The flapping of their wings caused the torches to be extinguished, surrounding him in darkness._

_ Gabriel was surprised when his mind started to take control again and ever instinct he thought had been lost to him forever came back into play. He ducked and rolled, his feet hitting the cart with the weapons in very little time. He grabbed another handful of bullets, but dropped them a second later and picked up the other spinning blade instead._

You won't have time to load the gun_, his mind told him._ Just take the blade instead.

_He lost track of himself after that. He lost track of the rage and the animal inside him, giving into the violent tendencies that he had been unable to use. Now Gabriel found that he was moving easily, and the pain was forgotten as the thrill of the hunt came back to him. The screeching of the gargoyles gave him a good idea of where they were. He only had to follow the sounds of wings and the agonizing screams as his prey disappeared in small clouds of dust, stone, and dirt_

_ The final scream came from behind. He felt around on the handles of the blades, and spun quickly, flicking something or triggering the two blades to spin off and fly towards the final gargoyle._

_ He wiped his forehead. He was about to collect the weapons when the sound of clapping came from behind him, along with the orange glow of torches and the heat that came from them. Gabriel looked over his shoulder, blood seeping through the bandages over his wounds. He saw Jinette, the Cardinal who had introduced himself so long ago, smiling and clapping at the performance. He was doing something Gabriel had never seen him do: He was smiling._

_ "I can finally see the reason that God left you on our doorstep." He said. "Come, let us get you cleaned up."_

* * *

"Mr. Van Helsing?" Mina shook him lightly, not wanting to wake him from his somewhat peaceful slumber. Just after he had dozed off he had started to dream and say things that she couldn't understand as he did so. She hated to wake him after only an hour, but she knew better than to let them linger too long, especially with some of Morgan's enemies. Morgan already had enough reasons to kill them. She didn't need another one like 'conspiring with the enemy' or something equally as silly.

And she had promised Gabriel she would wake him not long after that so they could ride after Carl once more. Leaving in the cover of night fall would be convenient. They could gain some land between them and their prey, and Mina would not have to be completely covered in the presence of the moon. It was the sun that she had to worry about.

"Gabriel…" She shook him softly once again, finding that he was beginning to stir. He gave a small groan and then his eyes opened. He sat up quickly, his black clothed body a blur. Mina could tell by his colour that he yearned for rest, but his whole mind was focused towards his mission. His whole life was dedicated towards one long mission.

Mina patted him on the back as Gabriel rubbed his eyes. With a quiet voice that was almost as whisper, he asked, "How long…?"

"Only an hour, not much more than that." She said, running her hand along his back as she would do to comfort a child. Gabriel's eyes closed again and he ran his fingers along the darkened eyelids, breathing deeply. His mind moved from his thoughts on the mission, drifting through their 'position' in Morgan's game with them, and stopped for a moment, his brow furrowing at the notion of Mina's hand on his back and her body in such close proximity to his own. It was strange to feel a woman so close to him. Certainly there was Anna Valerious, the gypsy princess who he still dreamed of and imagined often, wondering what he could have done differently. He thought about it hard, imagining the future they could have had together. They could have been married perhaps. They could have been parents. They could have grown old together in the old Castle of his enemy. He could have left the Order and lived out a normal, everyday life, the type of life that one would expect a man to have.

But now all those dreams were gone. They were as cold and dead as Anna, burned up by the fires that consumed Anna's body on the funeral pyre.

He looked up at Mina, whose hand had stopped moving over his back. She had a lost look in her eyes, staring at his dark curls before moving to his eyes.

"Are you feeling any better?"  
"God no." He said, pushing back his shoulders and cracking the knot in his lower back with a sigh. "But there's no point in wasting anymore time. We've lost enough already."

Mina nodded, grabbing the coat off the ground. Gabriel watched her pull the black coat over her shoulder, the fitted sides forming to her body as if it was made for her. He saw her loose white dress shirt that was a gift from Fallon, the embroidered corset, the black pants and boots and the coat and was immediately reminded of her again, very painfully.

Unlike Anna though, she was moving her hands and her hair over her neck uncomfortably, unsure of the best way to hide her bite scars. Gabriel looked over to his saddle bag and dug through the extra trousers and coat and found the scarf in the bottom ("Packed by Carl no doubt," he mused). He pulled it out and stood up.

"Here…" He said, draping it around her throat. The scarf was much too big for her but she was smiling as he swung on end around her neck loosely. Mina tightened it a little smiling at him with her lips closed. "There. Much better."

_Well that just sounded shallow, didn't it Gabriel?_

Mina didn't seem to mind. She smiled again, pulling her hair from under the scarf.

"Thank you." She said politely, setting her brown hair about her shoulders.

"You're welcome." He said, looking her over once again, lost for a moment in his thoughts. He turned back and picked the saddle up and off the ground.

Fallon rolled out the map over the surface of the table, just outside his caravan. The firelight danced across his scarred face, over his toned arms and the tattoos that covered them. Lines that curled and were sharpened like barbed wire moved over his forearms and biceps. Gabriel looked from the side, looking at the perfectly drawn map of the woods they had entered and the lands beyond.

Fallon had outdone himself. He had added colours and a legend to the map to indicate where the trees grew the thickest and where the iron mines existed. There was blue for the rivers and ponds that existed throughout and there were deepening reds for changes in elevation.

Beyond the forest were the plains of England and then there was a large red X that indicated what Gabriel thought may have been some kind of historical landmark. Fallon's fingers moved over the page and pointed the way to the X.

"That is where her castle lies. The Palace of Fey, where many men have dared to travel and so few have chosen to return." He gave a weak laugh, his lips tightening into a thin line as he lifted his hand from the page. "You'll need to enter a different kind of forest to find where she lives. You'll have to enter the faerie woods. It's much more dangerous than the ring that you decided to travel into last night."

Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Don't remind me." He said. Fallon laughed.

"I wouldn't feel so terrible. You looked bloody good together anyways."

Mina shifted the chair from Gabriel uncomfortably. Gabriel never noticed that he took a bit of a step back for that as well, blushing slightly.

"You should let 'Aingeal' read your Tarot before you leave." He said with a smile. "Anyways, the faerie forest leads you underground to a set of winding caverns that will have you trapped down there for days unless you remember one thing: That whatever happens in them is an illusion."

"How do you know all this?" Mina asked. Fallon smiled wildly for a moment, not at all set back by the question even though Gabriel could sense everything but happiness in his actions.

"Let's just say I know what happens if you start believing in that sort of thing." He replied. Mina seemed to pick up on the same things that Gabriel did. Fallon wasn't telling them something. He swallowed hard and rolled up the map. "If you continue to believe that it's an illusion than you'll find your way without trouble at all. In fact you'll make it to the castle without much trouble."

"What do we do when we get there?"

"You stop her. But you're going to need something other than a sword to take her down." Fallon grinned again. "You're going to need some iron weapons. And you're lucky, because that's all I own."

'Aingeal' walked up to the table, carrying several weapons with her. Each and every one of them was primitive. To Gabriel's dismay there were no bullets and he was stuck with a useless gun. The swords however were making him smile a little. At least there was something he knew how to use.

"This is all that I could manage. The rest is still in storage." She said, grabbing hold of a regular looking broadsword. It weighed at least fifty points and was five feet from tip to hilt. The hilt was decorated with the same time of sweeping designs that covered Fallon's caravan. The blade was also engraved with old runes and more Gaelic characters. She handed it over to Gabriel. Mina watched the transaction with a wounded stare. 'Aingeal' shrugged.

"Don't worry about yourself. There's no way a creature like you could manage something like that without training. Which is why I brought you one of these." 'Aingeal' produced something that made Mina's eyes widen. She handed her a bow and string, along with a quiver full of arrows. Mina swallowed hard. Every ounce of hurt was gone from her eyes. Now she was just wondering how on earth she was going to use such a thing.

"Well don't just keep staring at it, take it." 'Aingeal' urged.

"I don't know how to use it." Mina replied.

"Well of course you do. You drank my husband's blood did you not?"

Mina was silent. She bit her lips nervously.

"It never works like that."

'Aingeal' groaned at Mina's statement.

"Have you ever tried to use your gift?" She asked. "Honestly, any vampire will tell you that it's the best way to learn things. Just drink the blood of someone who can do them. I'd cut my bloody wrist and let you drink from me if I could but there isn't the time for that. Take the bow and fire at a tree. You'll hit it at least. I'm not saying you'll be a bloody genius but you have the strength to use it."

Mina caved and took the bow, still doubting herself by the look in her face. 'Aingeal' smiled and looked at the other weapons she had brought over, ignoring the way Mina looked at the bow with a sad look in her eyes.

Gabriel looked over his blade again. He pulled it from the sheath again, finding his reflection first before the designs. He hated the way he looked in the moonlight. He looked like a corpse, his cheeks sunken and his eyes looking black. His pupils had vanished completely and the whites of his eyes were stained with the blue moonlight that cascaded down from the heavens. His black curls were tinted with the light as well, and his weakened condition did nothing to convince him that he was anything but an aging corpse that was rotting and festering under the earth. He tilted the blade upward, catching only his eyes and his dark hairline and then the moon above, gazing down at him from her place in the darkness of the sky.

_It would be nice, for once, to look in a mirror and know the man who's staring back._

He shoved the sword back into the sheath.

* * *

Gabriel had the horse saddled and ready to go in minutes, but 'Aingeal' didn't seem to want him to go so soon. She called him over from the other side of the fire, gesturing with her finger for him to walk over. He would have worried, but then he saw the deck of cards on the table in front of her. He groaned again.

On one of his first missions, if he remembered correctly, he was sent to the Mediterranean and the deserts in the surrounding area. The heat nearly drove him into madness as he pursued a werewolf through the northern part of Africa. He spent four days in the harsh desert, an hour in battle and another four in the overheated caravans of a traveling troupe of gypsies, mystics, and other heathens. The Mistress was a woman who had named herself Shadow, and for good reason. She was darker than coal, her skin as black as shadows under the cold and frosted moonlight.

She would read his cards for him every day that he traveled with them, speaking in her thick African language, the voice of her ancestors. She told him that his past was uncertain, but he had been a soldier. She had given him an addiction to the pictures on the cards and gave him his first affiliation with the Knight of Swords that he could remember. She also associated him with the four Queens, something he never would have expected.

"There will be four women that I can see. The first is the Cups, the gentle woman with secrets that she will never tell." She laughed a little and continued, her black finger moving over the next card. "The second is the Queen of Pentacles." She laughed again. "This one is me. The love of money and riches and success." She laughed again.

She smiled and took up the next card.

"The third is the Queen of Wands. She is headstrong, dark, beautiful, but stubborn in her actions. Her persistence will lead her downfall."

Shadow took up the last card, the Queen of Swords.

"And the last, the Queen of Swords, is the widow. She too has a downfall resting in her sadness and her distance. It is a shame that all these women have such sadness associated with them, such pain. You attract the broken, Knight of Swords. You attract the women who cannot be fixed, no matter how much you love them."

'Aingeal' seemed to have a different method of reading them. She placed the Knight of Swords in the middle of the table to represent Gabriel, and after he had shuffled and cut the deck she placed the first card on top of his.

_The Tower…_

"Not such a good card to start with. In your present there is destruction and calamity. Something is missing from your existence."

The second card was horizontal over the first. It was the Queen of Swords.

"An immediate influence in your life is a widow. One who seems to carry great sadness with her…"

She placed the third card atop the other three. Her fingers hovered over it for a moment, and then revealed it to Gabriel. It was the Death card.

"Rebirth." She said. "Something's coming that will completely change you from what you are now to what you are supposed to be."

Another card was placed on the table, this time to the right of the Knight of Swords. She removed her hand and showed him the Ten of Swords.

"A battle in your past. You were a soldier or a mercenary. You were of great strength though."

Gabriel was still silent, listening carefully to her speak of something he had only ever seen in his dreams. She spoke of bloodshed. She spoke of scars and wounds. She spoke of everything that he had wanted to remember but could never have.

The fifth card was placed beneath the Knight. It was the Five of Swords.

"Dishonour…" She said with a smile, amused by his reading. "You shamed someone or something. There was a loss in more ways than one."

Gabriel held his breath. He felt his mind open up and he found that inside was a memory. It showed him a battle inside a great orb of light, one that conflicted with the moon and the stars that shimmered above the two combatants. Inside the light were feathers and two men, their eyes blazing with fury.

'Aingeal' reached for the next card, but Gabriel wouldn't allow her to continue. She watched him walk away before she looked at the card.

In the spread that she was doing, the sixth card always stood for future influence. She shivered as she looked at the card, finding herself staring with the eyes of the Devil card.

"Violence…" She said. "And Temptation."

'Aingeal' looked back at Gabriel as he mounted his horse.

"I hope God still loves you Van Helsing for it doesn't look like there are many who do."

* * *

Gabriel rode through the camp to the tree line, watching Mina with an amused look on his face as she attempted - and failed – to fire a bow. He supposed he could be thankful that she wasn't firing towards any humans. She clumsily pulled back on the bowstring, her arms shaking from the exertion of her muscles and released. The arrow would fly through the air flimsily and then fall to the ground, striking nothing with the sharp, iron tip. She would march into the forest and retrieve it again after a moment of searching.

He said nothing but she knew he was there. Without looking at him she started speaking, drawing back on the bow again.

"I hate to waste any more time…" She said, clenching her teeth as she pulled back and held it. Gabriel rolled his eyes at the way he was holding it, her arms barely stretched out. "But I hardly see the use of having a weapon that I can't control."

Gabriel dismounted, leaving the horse unattended for a few moments. He walked up behind her and held the bowstring for her.

"It's not as hard as you're making it." He said. Mina released the bow and Gabriel eased the bowstring back down until it was relaxed in his fingertips. He took the in his fingers, his tendons popping out of his knuckles as he held it tightly. "You have to open up your chest more when you fire. Like this…"

With Mina pressed against his chest and his arms awkwardly stretched out to accommodate her, Gabriel pulled the bow out and fired with such precision anyone would have mistaken him for a professional with years of training to back up his technique. Gabriel knew that his proficiency with weapons had nothing to do with the conscious mind. Everything was an unconscious impulse, something that he just did without really knowing why. The arrow struck one of the trees and embedded itself in the bark. Mina sighed deeply.

"You try it…" He said.

Mina complied silently, angrily, frustrated with her uselessness. The only weapon she was trained with properly was a pistol or a rifle. She was not a swordswoman or an archer, she was just Mina Harker.

Only now that fact was starting to make her angry.

She took another arrow from the quiver, loaded the bow and held it in her fingers as Gabriel had. It struck a nerve in her brain, bringing back the thoughts of Fallon's blood moving down her throat. It was the sense of freedom once more, the feeling of the arrow in her fingers and her arms pulling it out and taught. The leather bow string and bow creaking with the tension being applied.

Gabriel took a step back, watching her cautiously. It was as if a dark sheet had been placed over her, covering her body from head to foot and hiding her in the shadows. When she released the arrow that time it hit its mark, not perfectly, but there were definite signs of improvement.

"There. Now all I have to do is hope I don't have to depend on your marksmanship." He was joking. Mina glared at him, sighing deeply and picking the quiver off the ground. Gabriel watched her facial expressions, her stiff movements. "I was only joking Mina."

"It's not that." She replied, slinging the quiver over her shoulder. "All my life I've just been useless because I'm a woman. And even as a vampire I'm useless."

"I wouldn't say that." Gabriel replied. "In my experience everyone has their uses. They all have some kind of purpose."

"What about you?" She asked him. "What's your purpose?"

Gabriel didn't think he had to think about something like that. It was such an easy question. His purpose was to destroy evil. He was to rid the world of creatures who would seek to upset the balance of darkness and light. He was a servant of God.

But Mina's question made him rethink everything he knew he should say. Was he really doing God's work? He was killing for the sake of a God who never once condoned killing or bloodshed. He had dreams of fighting in a Holy War, one of the biggest oxy morons he had heard to date. How was a war holy?

In many ways, for Gabriel, the Holy War never ended in the days of old. They continued, even now, the way he was chasing Morgan across England. He was a soldier in another Holy War, leading a one man army to Hell and back in the name of God.

"Right now, I'm here to kill a sorceress." He said. "But tomorrow could bring many other things."

Mina smiled again. She pulled the bow string off the wooden bow.

"Well then my purpose is to keep you from making me use my archery skills." Gabriel smiled again.

"Let's ride then." He said. Mina nodded, balling up the string and tucking it into the pocket on the jacket. Gabriel took her by the hand and helped her up and onto the back of the horse. He shook his head.

"You really ought to learn how to ride on your own."

"Well perhaps there are other purposes you may serve yet." She said.

"But for now there is little extra time to waste." He said, hopping up and onto the horse in one swift movement. Taking up the reigns in his hands, the horse moved into a slow walk.

Mina wrapped her arms around his upper chest again, burying her head against his back. Gabriel kicked the horse hard, riding off into the misty darkness of the forest, watching Fallon wave goodbye to them from the edge of the forest. He stared off at the dark silhouette disappearing into the fog, and smiled to himself. 'Aingeal' came up to stand next to him.

"What do you think their chances are?" She asked, hands on her hips. Fallon smiled and laughed to himself.

"A hunter and a vampire against the Queen of the Faeries?" He laughed again. "I'd say that they're chances are better than anyone else's, that's for sure."

* * *

_Who is this man?_ She asked herself again, staring out the window of her dark tower and over her kingdom. Small, coloured lights the size of dimes floated around her windows and out in the plains of the lands of Fey. Morgan walked back around her four poster bed, running her pale fingers over the velvet curtains of the bed, licking her lips slowly as she moved back to the mirror and the bureau, lost in her reflection for a moment.

There was a knock on the door. She turned as the willowy sentry stepped inside, his white hair tumbling over his shoulders. He bowed as was custom to his queen and Morgan simply stood there, waiting for his report.

"My lady…" He said in his whispery voice. "My soldiers on Merlin's Land claim that Van Helsing just rode from the encampment of Fallon and his men."

The mirror on the bureau cracked. Morgan's eyes became fierce. She clenched her teeth again, watching her sentry.

"Bring the Friar to the tower. We've got to move quickly if my plans are to be carried out tonight."

"Do you think they suspect what your plans are, ma'am?" He asked.

Her electrifying stare was back on him.

"Are you implying that mere mortals could have discovered what my plans are?"

The sentry was silent. He shook his head.

"Of course not, my lady."

"Good." She said coldly, walking forward. Her slippers tapped across the black stone that the room was built of. Her blue dress stood out against the shimmering marble floor. "Do as I say. Bring the Friar to the tower and hang him from the window. And if Van Helsing gets anywhere near the Palace walls I want you to use him for target practice."

"Yes my lady."

"As for Van Helsing and his new 'friend', I want you to keep an eye on them. My Magick may not hold her sway with his charm of iron but it won't be long till he finds his way to the Palace. No doubt that idiot Fallon showed him the way here and told him the secrets only a slave of the Fey could have told." Morgan's fists tightened. The sentry nodded again, bowing once more. She was about to dismiss him when she finished.

"And by the way, Sentry, not a breath of my plans is to leave this Palace. I can't have another mistake like earlier today." He nodded again. "You're dismissed. I will summon you back when I have completed."

"Yes my lady." The sentry left, walking out the door and closing it again. Morgan walked over to her balcony, throwing open the stained glass doors and standing out in her dark kingdom. The lights flocked to her presence, flying through her long curls, running over her soft and smooth face and dancing around her right hand. Their voices whispered sweet things to her, but she was in no position to accept such things.

"It's almost time, lovelies. Fly off now and watch on the oncoming company. Hide in the caves and wait. But beware the guardians. And remember to avoid biting our dear friend Mina. I can't afford any more accidents." The nodded and flew off, still singing the song of their Queen and the Lord Accolon. They still hummed of the enchantments bestowed upon Arthur.

Morgan smiled.

_It's funny_, a voice in her mind spoke to her. _Men fall to my charms, but this Van Helsing seems immune. _

She walked out of the bedchamber, hearing the sounds of her enchanted sentries carrying the bloody Friar up and into the tower.

Morgan smiled coolly.

_Then I will have to stop him in a different way. _

She used the wind to travel down through her Palace quickly, straight into her mighty ballroom where her Faerie kingdom was still dancing and singing in her Faerie Ring. She walked through the swirling mass of dancers easily, heading up the second staircase to the vast mirror atop the stairs.

With her right hand she pressed against the glass, her reflection smiling coyly back at her. The appearance began to change the second her fingers touched it. The jet black curls became distinctly brown. Her blue eyes softened, becoming a dark chestnut colour. The pale skin tanned (_Like a commoner_, her mind mocked) and her features changed. The nose became rounder, her lips fuller, and her chin pointier.

She smiled at her new appearance and stepped back. The woman in the mirror was distinctly different, one who would catch the eye of her new enemy, and most certainly become quite a distraction in the caves that lead to her kingdom.

"Anna Valerious, the princess of the gypsies…" She smiled coyly again, proud of her work. The woman in the mirror smiled as well, just as she did. Morgan looked around her, snapping her fingers. A female faerie came up from the ball and curtseyed to her Queen.

"Hop in." She said. "And delay him at least. Hopefully my spell will be finished long before he arrives."

"Yes, you're highness."

"Oh, and one more thing…" She mentioned before the faerie assumed the form of the woman. "It is imperative that you don't harm the Harker woman…yet. Make sure to toy with her a little as well."

There was another curtsey, and then the faerie stepped into the form of Anna Valerious, straight through the mirror, before walking off into the reflection of the ballroom. The glowing image of Morgan's palace faded and became the long winding tunnels of the caverns leading to the outside world.

Morgan stalked back through the ballroom, this time walking in her heavy, beautiful blue gown. She smiled to herself once again and went to the left tower.

Her heart was beating in anticipation. _Try and stop me, Van Helsing. _

* * *

Author's Notes: I am sorry. I was expecting for this chapter to have lead me to the caves to Morgan's Palace, but the chapter seemed to write itself with things that I was not expecting to write into it. I would have hoped to have a little more action in it, but there is some suspense with Morgan's little spell with the mirror and Gabriel's fortune (as told by 'Aingeal').

As I mentioned before in one of my responses I do read Tarot but I am not an expert at it. If anyone has read this and noticed some major inaccuracies with the reading I gave Gabriel, please tell me.

The reading that 'Aingeal' was doing is called the Celtic cross spread. It is a longer spread than the nine cards reading that I was talking about in previous chapters, but it gives the same elements.

The four Queens was one of my favourite bits of symbolism. I hope everyone caught onto who the Queens were. Shadow was the Queen of Pentacles, but that's not really important. The Queen of Cups is Alice Daniels. Cups are closely associated with the element of Water and the symbol of the Chalice. The Chalice is always used as a symbol of femininity and womanhood. I use this to describe Alice because unlike Anna and Mina she was much more closer to what females were to be: gentle, caring, beautiful (not that Anna wasn't beautiful. Kate Beckinsale is gorgeous). She also had the most feminine qualities I could think of for the time.

The Queen of Wands is Anna. Most people probably wonder why I made Mina the Queen of Swords, but it was not my intention. At first I felt that Anna should be the Queen of Swords, but Wands suited her much better. Wands are ruled by the element of fire. The Queen of Wands is persistent to her duties no matter what odds but her headstrong nature is her downfall. She will often be too persistent with things. This described Anna much better than the Queen of Swords did.

Finally, the Queen of Swords is Mina. When I first started to read cards I was confused when I found that the Queen of Swords is not ruled over by the element of fire but rather then element of air. She is often associated with the widow and women who are somewhat cruel and dark. Although this could also be Anna, I felt it was much more Mina. Plus the association with air seemed to fit her ability to change into bats.

I wanted to delve deeper into Fallon's character. I think I will have him reappear later with his crazy wife. What does everyone else have to say?

Reviews:

**_J_**: I wish I had a meteorite right about now! At least they got some line of defense against Morgan and they're not just shooting blindly and uselessly (although I'm sure Gabriel was looking forward to having a gun back in his fists). You are filled with a lot of interesting information. I had no idea there was a specific type of iron that worked best. I did know about Oberon and Titania though, but I didn't know they were in Gargoyles. I suddenly have the urge to watch that show again.

**_Verona_****_ Dracula_**: I was planning on reading The Mists of Avalon, but my book list is really long right now. I'm reading through Angels and Demons by Dan Brown and am enthralled by it. He is my idol for books. If you love mystery read through both Angels and Demons and the sequel The Da Vinci Code.

It's really weird to read different versions of Morgan le Fey. In one book she's an enchantress, in another she's just a jealous half sibling, and in the movie I don't think she even exists (I haven't seen the movie yet).

**_Summer Knight_**: Yeah, the whole Raindrops are Falling on my Head thing caught me entirely off guard. One minute I was just crying at the thought of there being NO SPIDER-MAN and then this crazy little music video comes on and I'm cocking a brow and thinking, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

And as for taking off his mask every chance he gets…

Well, the more of Tobey's face, the better.

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: I am very happy to hear that you're still enjoying the story! I hope the rest of your recovery goes smoothly and without complications. Thank you very much for the comment about work. I hope so too. At least I can't cause any permanent damage. Oh, who am I kidding, this is me we're talking about. With my luck I'll make something explode (and even thought it's unlikely, I WOULD LAUGH).

**_Grissom_**: The sequel is still in the works. I'm planning another trip to Transylvania, but don't worry because the villain is NOT Dracula. I am one of those people who thinks a confrontation between Mina and Gabriel and Dracula would be pretty cool but highly unlikely (unless Morgan were to bring him back with her spell…no, just kidding). The villain I hope to use has always fascinated me and I think is almost equally as original as Morgan le Fey.

The mysterious man and woman will appear in the sequel and their names will be revealed! That's not very much of a comfort (I mean, you have to wait for this to be over and then you have to wait for me to start on the next story), but at least it's a little bit of closure.

I would have liked to have Fallon's wife in a little more. She'll come back later.

Good thing I'm not the only one on a Harry Potter stint (I don't think I ever really got over my first Harry Potter stint, but we're not getting into that). I love the third one! It's my favourite. The movie kind of pissed me off though. SINCE WHEN COULD THE DEMENTORS FLY?! As for John Grisham, I can't help it. I loved The Runaway Jury too much.

I am too sadistic. I have been thinking about Morgan's death too: Decapitation, locked in an iron prison, and dancing in ret hot iron shoes (I was watching The Tenth Kingdom and reading classic fairy tales. I couldn't help it). Plus I've been watching Kill Bill, so whatever it is it will hopefully be original.

Maybe I'll just add the hat crisis into the end of the story. I could have Gabriel drop it and find it in the hands of her faerie guards. Lol. That would be fun.

**_HyperCaz_**: I have been to Movie Mistakes and yes, they are very amusing. In the movie Return of the King there are ten Nazgul, Frodo's underwear is showing, and Pippin is WAY taller than he is supposed to be. I laughed, I cried, but mostly I laughed.

I hate plot holes too. It's just my luck that my stories are often riddled with them.

**_Sirhcevoli_**: Well, the next chapter is up. I hopw you enjoyed it as much as you said you enjoyed the rest.

**_Doodily_****_ Doo_**: Sorry about that. Yes, 'Aingeal' meant that Gabriel was the eleventh person to be given the confusion curse. Sorry if I made it sound otherwise! I'm glad you're reviewing again. You're name amuses me in a good way!

**_Alright, so there will be MORE EXCITEMENT in the next chapter. I'm sorry about the false promises last week. TALK TO YOU ALL LATER AND PLEASE REVIEW!_**

****

**_Oh, and as a bonus…_**

**_Everyone seemed to be writing potential trailers for their sequels. Not to be outdone, I wrote one for Shards._**

****

(Camera pans out on Universal Logo, the world spinning. Screen fades to black once more with choral voices as the music.)

(Cut to: Van Helsing sits on a train, his hat tilted down and over his face. The sunlight streams in through the windows, his face illuminated for mere moments)

(Fade out to: Black Screen)

Cardinal Jinette Voice Over (VO): Seven people...

(Cut to: Jinette standing next to the slide projector, Van Helsing at his side)

Jinette: Murdered in London over the past four days.

(Rapid Succession Scenes: Dark haired woman with a sword kills off men in pictures. The final scene is a frightening shot of her two large blue eyes facing the screen)

(Cut back to: Jinette and Gabriel. Camera focuses on the picture of Morgan projected on the wall. She is darkly beautiful with cruel, unforgiving eyes)

Jinette (Off screen): They are related to the arrival of the sorceress Morgan le Faye in London.

(Cut to: Van Helsing stares at face)

Van Helsing: Here we go again...

(Cut to: Gabriel on train, still asleep. He jerks awake suddenly and reaches for his gun)

(Cut to: Black Screen)

Narrator: He is a man without a past.

(Cut to: Carl hands Gabriel a sack and begins tossing in several items. He picks up a glass bullet)

Carl: These explode on contact and will consume any magick wielding creature.

(Carl throws the bullet to the ground. Gabriel cocks a brow when the bullet does nothing.)

(Cut to: Priest steps on the bullet. It explodes and fire moves up his leg)

Gabriel: And they call me a menace to society.

(Cut to: Gabriel removes a sword from its sheath. The single blade separates into three blades. His eyes widen)

Narrator: Chasing the most powerful sorceress in the world.

(Cut to: Morgan runs out the door of her home and stands on the balcony. It is night. She looks up in the sky as the wind blows stronger with her presence. Camera zooms in slowly and comes up to face. She smile coyly)

(Cut to: Van Helsing stands up straight in small hotel room. Morgan crosses the room towards him)

Morgan: I wonder what a man such as you could be haunted by.

(Cut to: Morgan standing close to Van Helsing, almost kissing him. His body goes rigid)

Morgan VO: I am quite sure I am beyond compare to any beast you have faced before.

(Cut to: Morgan stretches out her right hand and blue lightning shoot from her open palm)

(Cut to: Inside John Hamilton's house. Van Helsing aims gun at her. Morgan smirks.)

Morgan: I see you didn't heed my warning.

Van Helsing: I hardly ever do.

(Rapid succession scenes: They fight with swords)

Narrator: Joined by one with a link to his forgotten life.

(Cut to: The door opens on Morgan preparing to kill Van Helsing. A woman with brown hair fires twice with a pistol, eyes fierce)

Woman VO: My name is Mina Harker.

(Cut to: Bats fly around the entrance to a dark alley. They land on the ground in a nearly perfect circle. The camera focuses on the wall where the shadow grows and becomes that of a woman)

(Cut back to: Mina standing in doorway with pistol)

Mina: And your name is Van Helsing.

(Cut to: Carl opens scroll. Mina and Van Helsing peer down at it.)

Carl: Morgan killed off Merlin to assume his power.

(Camera pans over scroll. Latin writing.)

(Cut to: Scenes of men signing the scroll and pieces of metal handed between them)

Carl VO: The sheath of Excalibur was broken down into twenty pieces and and re-forged into swords.

(Cut to: Morgan pulls a sword from its sheath. It glows blue. She smiles)

(Cut back to: Gabriel looks up from group)

Gabriel: So she's trying to outdo Merlin.

(Cut to: Gabriel picks up his coat and his hat. He puts them on.)

Gabriel: Let's get going then.

(Music: 'Eternal' by Evanescence)

(Cut to: Gabriel and Morgan are fighting in her house. She has both a dagger and a sword)

Tagline: Evil...

(Cut to: Mina stands outside Morgan's house. Gabriel gallops down the street)

Gabriel: Give me your arm!

Mina: WHAT?!

(He pulls her up to the back of the horse)

Tagline: Never...

(Cut to: Mina and Morgan fighting. Morgan's face is scratched. She turns her head and the cut heals immediately)

(Cut to: Shot of Mina. Her teeth elongate and her eyes become electric blue)

Tagline: Dies.

(Cut to: Gabriel and Morgan fight in her house again. Morgan throws the dagger. It lands in Gabriel's thigh)

(Cut to: Carl watching Gabriel walk out of the house)

Carl: I don't see how this is an improvement.

Gabriel: I'll be fine. Besides, if they don't kill you in the first twelve hours they don't kill you at all.

(Cut to: Mina and Gabriel fighting in Hamilton's house. She stabs him through the shoulder)

(Cut back to: Carl and Gabriel in the house)

Carl: You made that up.

(Music: Pirates of the Caribbean Trailer theme song)

(Cut to: Gabriel draws his tojo blades)

Narrator: Hugh Jackman

(Cut to: Mina lands on the ground after jumping from a tree)

Narrator: Mina Harker

(Cut to: Morgan stands on her porch. The wind blows in her hair)

Narrator: Morgan le Fey

(Cut to: Van Helsing silhouette with hair blowing in the wind. He carries a sword this time instead of the cross bow)

Tagline & Narrator: Van Helsing 2: Shards of Avalon

****


	20. Dark Embrace

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur writing effort. There was no money made for the thinking, writing, and or posting of this story.

* * *

Chapter 20: Dark Embrace

Carl shivered again from his position against the wall of the tallest tower in Morgan's palace as his eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of help or rescue. He pulled at the cuffs on his wrists again as the dug painfully into his skin and made his skin bruise.

He hadn't honestly thought Morgan was serious when she ordered to have him hung from the tower. He had thought that she was just joking, that maybe she wasn't actually going to practise an ancient form of torture. But that was when he was being dragged up the thousands of stairs through the tower to the topmost room. And that was before they clamped heavy manacles on his wrists and tossed him through the large open arched windows and down the wall.

But now that he was actually hanging the painful truth set in. Morgan had hung him from the wall. And she had enjoyed doing it.

He groaned and tried to pop his shoulders back into place.

He tried to think of anything but the chilly wind that was pummelling against him and that smooth walls of the tower as he hung there, but he couldn't pull his mind from it. The wind was cold and there were no notches on the wall to dig his feet into to push himself up and into a more comfortable position. He had no idea how the wall was built so smoothly and filed to perfection, but he had a few ideas and most were related to Morgan's ability with Magick.

"How do you like the view, Friar?" Her voice called to him so clearly from the window above, her pale face looking down upon him as her lips moved into the shape of a cocky grin. "A scholar such as yourself would have great respect for such a place of history."

"It's a little hard to pay attention to such things while you're hanging from a tower wall." He called back to her, making her grin widen and her eyes gleam with happiness. "If I had something to stand on I might be able to enjoy the view more."

She could tell he was hinting at being let down from his position on the tower, but Morgan wasn't about to let him tell her what to do. She had worked too hard and come too far to allow him down now.

"Don't flatter yourself Friar. I'll let you down from this atrocious position soon enough. Where you will be let down though will be my choice."

Carl gulped. He didn't like the sound of that at all.

"So enjoy the view from this height while you still can." She said with a laugh, turning around and walking out of the room.

* * *

Gabriel pulled the horse to a halt. He stared into the dark abyss of tunnel that stared back at him for a moment, regarding it with the same interest he would have any creature that he hunted. _So this is the path to where Morgan lives_, he thought to himself, pondering the dangers that lay in the shadows of the only known path to the Palace of Fey. 

The tunnel was hidden well enough, planted in the center of a toadstool ring that no one in northern England would dare tread to. It was dug into a hill that protruded from the earth about six feet before swooping back down and disappearing. Vines and long grass hung over the opening, covering it from plain sight, but closer inspection or a map would tell you that it was there. The right side of the hill was covered with a large oak tree with roots that were centuries of years old. The whole side was covered with thick roots that stuck above the ground in knots before stretching up into the thick trunk and the vast branches. The leaves were already beginning to fall and leaves as red as blood tumbled across the ground at the horse's feet, swirling in vortexes playfully before being blown away to God knows where.

Magick was so thick in the air he could smell it. Usually the feelings of a foe could never affect any of his other senses, but the extremely old and powerful ones would affect his sight and his nose, sometimes so thick he could taste them on the air or feel the electricity in his fingertips. When he had been fighting with Dracula he could smell the blood on the air if he stood still and just embraced the darkness. Now, with Morgan, he could smell the sweet scents of the elements and feel the intoxicating embrace of her own darkness. It was like drowning in thick cloud, lost in the mist the clung to him and hugged him like a second skin.

The horse came to a stop without much coaxing. He paced nervously at the very edge of the toadstool ring as Gabriel tried to control him, pulling back on the reigns with a tight grip. "Easy boy..." He soothed, trying to calm the animal. The horse finally di, but his hoof was stopping on the ground nervously and his eyes were moving frantically.

"I take it we've arrived?" Mina asked rhetorically, able to tell from the horse's unusual insecurities that they were in a place of great evil.

"It would appear that way." Gabriel replied. After a day or two of riding (he had lost track of it. The sun was slowly beginning to set and he wasn't sure how long it had been) he was just reaching for a place to stop and get out of the saddle. It was luck that they had found their way to the cave just in time for Gabriel.

He dropped to the ground, loving the feeling of his muscles being put to wrok by walking. Mina slid one leg over the saddle and dropped clumsily to the ground, steadied by Gabriel when he took hold of her hands and helped her get used to walking again.

"Thank you." She said quietly, adjusting quickly without much assitance. He tilted his hat up politely and turned back, eyeing the toadstoll ring with a cocked brow.

_Just remember what happened the last time you stepped into one of these..._It was Carl talking, not himself. His own mind would have ran right into it again instead of stood there and stared at it, weighing in the chances of success as someone like Carl would have done. He would have told himself (if he were Carl) that the odds of success were stacked against him and that he wasn't going a step closer. But once the pains of solitude set in he would be tight to the heels of Van Helsing once more, afraid for his own life outside and alone more than inside with someone to protect him.

Not that Carl wasn't useful. Carl was the sort of person who always proved themselves at the last minute. They always found the right tool to use and the right way to use it in the times when they were needed most. He didn't just think of the gadget used in Dracula's summer palace. He was thinking of the hundreds of times when Carl, the frightened monk who caused more trouble in the Vatican than Gabriel ever could outside, who jumped at the sight of his fellow friars' shadows as they moved across the walls, could complete the most difficult of tasks as long as he 1) Didn't rationalize or think too hard about what he was doing and 2) Didn't have time to get a good look at what they were up against. If he thought too hard about something he'd choke up. Carl had a brilliant mind, but he had 'Macbeth's Syndrome', according to Cardinal Jinette. The old Cardinal would laugh at the joke only he understood and never explain it to Gabriel, but he assumed it refered to Carl's ability to get overloaded with information and facts.

The second reason was that Carl scared too easily. If he had gotten a good look at the vampires at Dracula's summer palace he would have completely choked up and not been able to perform his duty.

But he pulled through, as usual, the underdog in every situation but so useful, especially near the end (Gabriel smiled as he thought about the'Holy Water Pistol'). Everything Carl did was a stroke of genius.

And now he was facing something for the first time with his help directly. In fact, Gabriel felt strangely alone even with Mina so close to him.

The leaves were blown across the forest floor once more, leaving them with nothing to do but wait. Mina looked over at Gabriel, squinting through the strands of hair that were blown into her face and danced wildly through her vision.

Gabriel couldn't see anything but his duty and his job. And at that point he was pretty much driven by the thought of Carl meeting a nasty end at the hands of his kill. All the other thoughts were driven from his mind and only one remained.

_Kill Morgan and save Carl. At ANY cost._

Mina watched him walk forward without a shred of fear in his eyes. He moved into the darkness with her close behind him, leaving behind the blue light of the moon and the light of the stars for the inky darkness that belonged to Morgan le Faye.

He had found the dark side of the moon and was walking on it without fear of the kill any longer.

Morgan inherited three entrances to the kingdom of Fey when she had killed Mab. She had one through the sky, only reached by her powers over the wind as she transformed into the whispering wind and tumbled through the clouds before embarking on a skydive to her castle. The second was by the sea. If one were to trace along the rocky coast in Northern Britain they would find Morgan's cove and a tunnel that led deep underground. One could sail a boat directly down the stream to Morgan's palace.

The third was the hole in the earth that Gabriel had walked into. And she was sure that he would not survive that leg of his journey.

There were several reasons why it was her most hated of all entrances to her castle, the first being the dangers that lay within the first few meters. Although they were called the Sentries of Faerie the creatures were as far from being faerie as they could possibly be. They were insults to the name she had worked so hard to get and achieve, and even though she had intended on killing them within her first week of rule, she had decided that she should just abandon the pass all together rather than trouble herself with the extermination of some pests.

The second leg of the journey was Mab's idea, and it was ingenious to say the least. Mab had the passage tunneled through a mine of sold metal, origins of which were to say the least, Magickal. The smooth surface of the walls was like a mirror. The metal reflected the truth from within those who passed through it and extracted their fears and their memories, manifesting them as physical images. Morgan found that she could control those images from the mirror in her great hall, often times having plenty of fun doing it. Creating Anna was just a minor amusement. It was part of a longer list that Morgan was just waiting to bestow upon Van Helsing, should he make it through the caves.

And then there was the final leg: the catacombs. The final resting place of the heroes and villains of Britain, some too horrible to be named. Morgan was certain that she had seen the great queen Boadicea's body on one of her ventures into the caves, but it was too long ago to be sure. Instead, she forgot about it entirely, convincing herself that even though it might seem important, it wasn't really that vital to her existence.

Morgan wasn't watching the caves though. She was arranging the swords on the table in front of her, lining them up from the first to the last. Her fingers traced over the hilts secutively, her fingertips feeling rough leather or engraved metal. The last one intrigued her, making her grin a little. _The friar manages to reforge a sword with Excalibur. Maybe he is useful after all._

The realization wasn't enough to make her let Carl back inside the castle.

She picked up the small locked chest from the table and opened it carefully, finding the vampire flesh and blood still 'living' in a manner. It had not rotted or decomposed and retained the same pale complexion as Mina. The blood seemed to be thick and black though as the formula that Mina had concocted to save herself festured within the vile.

Morgan smiled at it.

_The secret to true immortality_, she thought with a smile, and spilled the flesh over the swords. The blood, she saved for later.

* * *

Gabriel stopped so suddenly that Mina walked right into him and the two were nearly sent to the ground. 

"You should warn me before you do that." She said, not truly paying attention. The living blood in her veins gave her unusually good eyesight. It was vision that she could only remember from in the beginning of her transformation, before the antidote. Everything seemed to shine with a misty blue colour. The shadows on the wall were easily identifiable, but she wasn't paying attention. She had been listening to Gabriel's footsteps, a method of walking that was starting to fail.

Gabriel hushed her before she could say another word. He placed his finger to his lips in the darkness, staring directly at her to get her attention. Mina was silent, watching him with widened eyes as he pointed ahead of them and into the darkness.

There was the sound of clicking, a unnatural sound of legs creaking and moving along the floor and some coming - oddly enough - from the ceiling. Mina's eyes widened and Gabriel nodded.

"What do you think...?"

Gabriel shrugged again. He pulled out his sword, the sound of the iron blade on the metallic sheath causing the legs to stop moving and the clicking to stop, and the small screeches of animal communication making Mina go rigid.

He pulled the gun from his coat. With an expert eye his fired one round towards where the noise was coming from.

The bullet exploded in a flash of flame across the floor. Mina could see the creatures with surprising accuracy and their silhouettes were burned into her retinas. They were spiders, much larger than normal, screeching and throwing their bony legs into the air. The fire seemed to frighten them away with high pitched screeches of pain. Her misty blue vision couldn't make them out in the darkness after they scrambled away. They were protected by some ancient Magick, and no matter how much she squinted, they were gone.

"Come on." Gabriel sheathed the sword and grabbed hold of her hand, firing bullets into the darkness by feeling and sound. The bullets would explode and send the creatures back and away from the two. The travelled down the tunnel, moving slowly as they used every last second of the flame to hold back the spiders from doing anything unnatural to them.

There was the sound of hissing as they walked on, taking maybe three or four steps before the bullets could no longer sustain enough flame to continue burning. Once the fire vanished the spiders would move in again, scurrying over the ground and the walls as they moved after their prey. The fire frightened them, Gabriel could tell. He could hear it and sense it in the dark as they moved about him and their dark forces thrived, but were sent aback by the glowing light and growing heat of the flame.

There was the hollow click of an empty gun barrel six bullets later though, and just as Gabriel was about to reload, the final fire of the previous bullet went out, and the two were sealed in darkness.

* * *

The sound of Mina's breathing mixed with his own told them nothing had happened yet. Perhaps the spiders were weighing in the chances of success with their attack of two armed humans, both of whom were larger and stronger then themselves. But that was one-on-one fighting and certainly not two-on-God Knows How Many. 

Gabriel was fluid as the stillness of the cave set in. It frightened him very little to have the odss stacked against him. Everything had to be instinct now. Impulse and instinct, his own way of life.

"Go!" He ordered Mina, pushing her into the darkness. She spun her back to the wall as she squinted through the darkness, ordering her eyes to work. She could hear the sound of metal against metal and in an instant, Gabriel had his sword drawn and at the ready, just in time as the spiders bounded towards him.

Gabriel swung downwards and heard the sound of metal against flesh. The darkness inside him was choking him as he swung back and lunged, catching two that were coming down from the ceiling. Blood was dripping off the sword profusely as he pulled back and took down another several spiders on the wall.

The hissing sounds were getting closer and denser as more of the spiders moved in. Their fangs moved and hovered around his calves, only to be thrown back and slashed against the edge of a fast moving blade. The darkness was starting to overpower his own, eating away at each other only the spiders' own was winning.

"Any time you want to help out now Mina..." He called blindly, swinging around and sending more bloody carcasses flying. There was no response to his calls, just the sound of more spiders being killed. "Mina?"

Something bit into his leg. Gabriel growled loudly and kicked the infernal thing away. Another bite came at the back of his leg and he took a step down the hall, trying to get a better fighting position.

The stunned silence of the tunnel made him still. The spiders weren't moving.

Off in the dark recesses of the tunnel there was a third darkness. It bore the sound of flapping wings and it was headed straight for them.

Gabriel wanted to sigh in relief when he heard the onslaught of bats in the tunnel. He wanted to be happy about the situation. However, he saw that being very difficult to do, seeing as how the darkness that welled up in the throat of the cave was pitch, so close to the ultimate embrace of darkness that he was scared Mina wouldn't be able to control herself once the bloodshedding began.

The spiders knew to run back. They was the sounds of their hundreds of legs backing away as Mina's bats struck with such a force Gabriel was nearly knocked off his feet. The bats were everywhere, fluttering about in the tunnel with such a lack of control that Gabriel ducked down and hid his throat from them with the high collars of his coat.

The spiders were splattered against the walls of the cave as the mouths of the bats bit and ripped at their skin. Gabriel felt fiery blood strike his cool face and slide down his cheeks a little as Mina's work finished. There was no more sounds but the fluttering of wings as they slowed and became humanoid again.

Mina was screaming as she became human again, holding her head in pain as she dragged her thoughts back to her. Gabriel stood up once again, hearing her spit out mouthfulls of blood to the floor. Faintly, he could make out her kneeling form on the floor, vomiting up the blood that had found its way into her stomach. Slowly, he approached her, in tune with the darkness that ebbed from her body, dispelled by sheer iron will and her attachment to the human world. As the last of her vampiric mind faded he knelt next to her.

She heaved forward again, bringing up nothing this time. With her hands on the floor supporting her, Mina closed her eyes and started to weep. And even though Gabriel knew he was going against the whole will of the church and everything he stood for, he wrapped his arms about her and held her tightly.

* * *

Author's Notes: Okay, it's been three weeks and I'm praying everyone hasn't lost interest. This chapter was, I know, quite a bit shorter than what I'm used to writing, but it sets the stage for the final couple chapters which will be, I can promise that the rest will be updated much more regularly now that I'm home. 

Long story short, work was really heavy nearing the end of the month, my friend was getting grounded, I was getting homesick and the my computer got a virus when I got home so I had to use the one without Microsoft Office. So if there's an unnatural amount of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, I am terribly sorry.

Reviews:

**_As a quick note, I would just like to say how much I appreciate everyone's reviews! They were the highlights of my day. I would come home from work, open my e-mail account and give this giddy little shriek whenever I found more! I wasn't going to respond on this chapter because I was wanting to post the chapter, but everyone was so great about putting up with my weird posts that I had to do it! Thanks everyone!_**

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: The fact that you can swim is awesome! I couldn't imagine not being able to swim. It's all I did over the summer. And I'm happy to say that I didn't explode anything at work (as funny as it would be to look back on it). I got Tim Hortons for breakfast, so it wasn't so terrible. I'm glad to hear that your recovery's going so well. I hope there's more good news for you coming soon!

**_Grissom_**: Jinette's an odd one. I just wondered why he felt so strongly about Gabriel being involved with the Vatican's 'War on Evil'. I'm happy that you enjoyed it so much! I liked writing about his past because I loved his character. He's an awesome guy to write about. He's just so...wow. And Hugh Jackman is just so...wow.

I'm glad you're still guessing about the villain. I have written up a trailer for the sequel but I'm not posting it until the last chapter of Shards, just to be difficult. I can't wait to start on the sequel either, but I'm having too much fun with story to drop it so soon either. Plus I couldn't just drop it off and leave everyone hanging. That would be cruel and unusual.

Harry Potter is awesome, there's no doubt, but the fifth book was a major disappointment (for reasons I won't reveal online. There's still people who don't know the truth). I loved that character! It was the first time I ever cried while reading a book (except when Boromir dies in LotR. I couldn't help myself). And as for John Grisham, the man is just too addictive. I have to find something else to read sigh.

I am sadly in Canada, so it comes out on the same day shakes fist. I guess I'll just be reading the novelization over and over until I see the movie. By the time it comes out I'll probably be sitting in my room twitching and murmuring the whole novel from memory. That's how it was for Kill Bill Vol. 2, but now it's out so I can focus all my attention on Van Helsing.

Nasty Little Morgan....oh I still haven't thought of a good death, although there are SO many possibilities.

**_J_**: It's weird how the weirdest information can be retained by the mind, how when you're writing an exam the silliest little memories can pop into your mind. One minute you're focusing on the slope of the tangent at x=2 or something and the next minute you're humming the theme song from the Care Bears. I love all the info and appreciate it though! It's helping me get all my facts straight for the story so the ending isn't that confusing.

Celtic Cross has many variations. In some books there are fifteen cards used including the Querant, the original ten, and an additional four to represent the elements. It's a little above and beyond, but that's me. There's also a planetary spread that I'm learning how to do, but that's for the sequel (lol, kidding).

Ah yes, I have employed lot's of overused ideas for the story. It's just that I wanted him to confront Anna one last time (whether she be a Faerie in disguise or a ghost) because I wasn't planning on having another one. I don't agree with the idea that he and Anna were meant to be. It's a little too Hollywood for me. I liked the chemistry, but I wouldn't bring her back for real for all the copies of Van Helsing in the world (for Hugh Jackman or a sequel to the movie though...well, anybody can change their minds).

I agree with you about long bows. It's unfortunate you don't see more of the Samurai weaponry in everday life. I loved The Last Samurai and you're right, when you compare the look of the Samurai drawing a bow so elegantly and perfectly you start to hate the Saxons for thinking they could ever achieve the same grace (their warfare and artillery are very plain indeed. It gets the job done, but it is fairly plain).

**_Verona Dracula_**: I wouldn't feel too bad about being late to read a chapter. Look at how long it took me to update. And I wouldn't worry too much. I have every intention of bringing back Fallon and 'Aingeal'.

I kind of figured everyone would catch onto the cards and their meanings. It was pretty self explanitory. Nice to know that it was enjoyed! I love the cards and how they can be employed to give more meaning to Van Helsing's life.

And I can't be the best author on the site, but it made my day to read it. Thank you very much!

**_Trinity Van Helsing_**: I'm glad my work has helped you with yours! Good luck with your own story.

**_HyperCaz_**: I completely agree. Thingymabob should be a word in this English language. So should firstly as well as funner (I use both in everday speech and always get corrected. And as a note to my mother, defribrilation is how it should be said. Sorry, long story short, she always corrects me on that word). I would have thought of actors, but I feel really weird writing their names in. If I had to choose actors to play my characters, I would say that Mina would be played by Peta Wilson. I really liked her portrayal in League, but that's just my preference. As for Morgan, I liked Julianna Marguiles in Mists, so I would probably get her back to play her again.

**_Becky Greenleaf_**: I am so happy you're enjoying the story that much! It's nice to know how much people are enjoying the updates. Thank you!

**_Scholar_**: Poor Carl! I'm sorry. I'll let him down and off the wall soon enough. And maybe I'll just make a line up of people ready to get a few hits in on Morgan. Like Fallon and his entire extended family, and Carl too, because Lord knows Carl would love to do something highly intelligent yet extremely immature to her (lol).

**_SirTiddywinkle_**: I love your name. You do not know how many positive feelings one gets when they read a word like 'Tiddywinkle'.

I think I'll finish with my first Van Helsing story and then move onto others. There are so many ideas and so few have been tapped into just yet! Thanks very much!

**_Sirhcevoli_**: Yay! Thanks very much. And there will be another chapter soon!

**_THANKS AGAIN!_**


	21. Storming the Castle

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This story is an amateur effort. There was no money made off the thinking, writing, and or posting processes of this story.

* * *

Chapter 21: Storming the Castle  
  
"I hate it." Mina confessed as they walked along. She was holding herself tightly, shivering softly as they made their way towards the growing light nearing the end of the tunnel. Gabriel's eyes were glued on what he wanted to believe was the exit. His instincts told him that it was far from over, and that it was just another phase of Morgan's amusement. She was probably watching them with a grin, laughing maliciously as Gabriel found himself fighting dizziness from whatever was in the spider bites. "It's not like some kind of disease that one can simply get over one day or something that can be cured...it's everyday." She reached out and grabbed the wall, following only the sound of Gabriel's breathing and his footsteps in front of her instead of holding his hand or something. "I haven't seen the sun in seven years which is about enough to declare yourself legally dead." 

"Join the club. There seems to be a growing number of people in the world who should be declared dead." _Like me, for example._ Gabriel reached out a hand to the wall. The pain from the bites near his ankle was starting to intensify greatly, and he could feel something cold moving out from the wounds (_Poison perhaps?_ He asked himself). Mina gave a small smile, thinking Gabriel too rational to go on one of those long, drawn out rants about how the whole world was starting to destroy itself. It was humourous though, something that she hadn't heard in a while.

"It's hard to hate everything about yourself." She admitted. Gabriel looked over his shoulder at those words. They had hit something inside him, thinking hard about what she had just said. He shrugged it off though, trying not to think about it. "And that's why I'm here. It's all just personal: My needs to be human over her need to live. Not nearly as noble as the fact that one does this for a living under the orders of the Catholic Church but that's all I have to keep me going."

"There's nothing wrong with something being personal. I would love it if something about my life was personal." He said.

"The quest for the extermination of all evil things isn't personal for you?" Mina asked him.

"Of course not. The quest for some shred of memory? That's personal." Gabriel clenched his teeth as the chill from the spider bites hit his blood stream. He gripped the wall suddenly but silently enough that he assumed Mina overlooked it as she focused on walking. "This is the church's war, not mine. I'm just a soldier. They're the generals."

Gabriel suddenly lashed out in pain, his hand gripping the wall so tightly his tendons popped out on the back of his hand. Mina's eyes widened as she grabbed a hold of his arm, holding him up as blood and puss dripped down his calf and into his socked foot.

They dropped to the ground. Mina knelt next to him calmly as he clenched his teeth and growled again.

"Where does it hurt?" She asked him. Gabriel groaned again. "Gabe..."

"The right calf, alright?" He shouted at her in frustration.

"Fair enough." Mina said, yanking off his boot and the pant leg. The 'fangs' the spiders had bit him with had gone clean through the leather and the fabric and the four puncture wounds were easily seen in the dark. She could smell the blood either way, and he vampire eyes made out the blood as glowing red fluid with an intoxicating scent. But there was something else inside it, something that made her eyes narrow.

"Poison." She said. Gabriel groaned.

"Perfect." He said. A perfect end to a perfect day. Stabbed, beaten, and now poisoned by spiders. _I just seem to attract everyone else's injuries don't I?_

"Oh God, it's already hit your bloodstream." She said, swearing under her breath as well. Gabriel was a little surprised. Mina had never sworn in his presence. "Whatever it is it's working quickly. How do you feel?"

"Mina this is not the best time to study this."

"Well what else am I supposed to do?"

"You could suck the poison out." He said. Mina looked appalled for a moment. "You're a bloody vampire. Just do what comes naturally."

It took Mina a moment more. She leaned in and pressed her mouth against the puncture wounds. Gabriel winced and the chill started to fade. Mina lifted her mouth and spat the mouthful of blood aside.

"Is it working?" She asked. Her whole appearance had changed with the blood that dripped from her lips. Gabriel nodded, already beginning to feel better. She moved over to the other puncture wound and drank a small amount from it to before spitting it out and onto the floor. She felt sick to her stomach again. She could feel every sense go into frenzy at the sight of Gabriel's bleeding leg. But she put his boot back on anyways and ignored it, trying hard to focus on something that was less abnormal.

"Much better. Thank you." He said and got back to his feet with some assistance from Mina. They pressed onward as the dizziness faded and the euphoria was dismissed. Gabriel could feel his strength returning.

"The spiders were definitely not faerie. They were probably just new inhabitants who were looking for a place to live." Mina stated, staring ahead at the growing blue light that cast odd shadows across the wall. Gabriel's eyes sunk into his skull and his cheeks dropped. He was a corpse suddenly, as supernatural as Mina and as deadly as Morgan.

"Nice to know." He said.

"You're only interested in certain things aren't you Mr. Van Helsing?"

"I have selective interests, I apologize." He said. "Usually I just need three things: What am I fighting, how I kill it, and the tools to kill it, sometimes not even the last one."

"You lead an empty life, Gabriel."

"Oh and you can judge." He shot back. It was harsher than he wanted to seem but he hated people when they were on his case. Jinette was always on his case. They were at constant war with each other. And Carl had a nasty habit of jumping into his life when Gabriel really didn't need it. Now Mina was joining in. Why did everyone have to tell him he was empty, cruel, and deserved everything he got?

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't imagine not knowing." She replied.

"You and Carl both." He mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." Mina was still worrying about it. He could tell by the way her jaw tightened and her eyes softened as if someone was hurting her. Gabriel couldn't think of anything to say. "So what's your plan?"

"What?" Gabriel asked her as a follow up; unsure of what context she was employing the word 'plan' under. Was she talking about how they were expecting to get out of the tunnels or how he was going to kill Morgan?

"How do you intend to finish your job?" She asked him. Gabriel gave a bit of a shrug.

"I intend to break into Morgan's castle..."

"And then...?"

"And then I intend to kill her and rescue Carl."

"And between here and Morgan's castle?"

Gabriel shrugged again.

"We'll cross those bridges when we come to them." Mina rolled her eyes sceptically. "What?"

"Nothing else?" She asked him.

"What did you expect?"

"Something a little less vague."

"Look..." Gabriel said quickly and sternly, sick of the constant back and forth between he and Mina. "Things happen. I'm not going to set standards when I know it's not going to be that easy. Trust me. The more vague things stay the less let-down you are when your plan is ruined."  
Mina gave a whimsical smile. Gabriel's eyes narrowed at her actions. How could she be so light-hearted when just moments ago she was sifting through her melancholy. Suddenly she was back somewhere in her memories, and he was afraid of what she was about to say.

"You haven't changed." She said. "You're just work, work, work. Always doing the day's work instead of taking a moment for yourself." Mina's head lowered behind a few strands of her dirty hair, the soft strands curling around her pale blue cheeks and in front of her blackened eyes. Gabriel tried to ignore her but pieces of him were begging him to listen and just for once accept that he could have been someone completely different prior to waking up in the Vatican. Embrace it Gabriel. Isn't this what you're looking for?

_What if it's not though Gabriel?_ He asked himself, droning Mina's words out. _What if you're just looking for a reason to keep killing, and you found the first and the easiest one to latch on to. But even though you claim that it's your reason, it's nothing but an excuse. It's just a fool's hope. Because the truth is you don't want to remember. The truth is you're scared of remembering._

Mina's voice was cut short. They had finally reached the glowing light in the distance of the cave and were embraced by it, finding that the light was coming from the magickal glow of mirrored walls. Gabriel could smell the tang of cold metal, and when he ran his bare fingers along the walls he could feel the smoothness of a foreign matter. He turned his eyes from wall to wall and found only his face, only his corpse-like appearance while Mina was spared seeing her own. If he stared at the wall it was like he was by himself. Mina was nowhere to be seen.

It was torture for her. Her eyes avoided the walls, too hurt to be reminded that she could no longer look at her immortal face and see what kind of thing she had become.

The mirrors on either side of the walls made the hallway wide and vast and hundreds of Gabriel Van Helsing's appear on either side. It spanned off for miles and miles with nothing but hallways and Gabriel standing there alone, looking back and forth suspiciously.

"Excellent defence mechanism." Mina commented with a nervous and painful swallow.

"Except against vampires." Gabriel said, recalling 'Aingeal's' comment about being lucky in the long run. Mina ignored that comment. He stopped and gave a small smile. "I think I have some other, less vague ideas about Morgan's death."

"You better get thinking quickly." Mina said. Gabriel sniffed the air. It was getting lighter. They were growing closer to the way out.

* * *

Carl struggled with the chains above him. He could feel the blood and sweat from his wrists allowing his hands to slide from the thick manacles. The thought sent a chill down his spine. _So that's her plan. I'm simply to fall when I slide from these damned things. Oh..._ The rest of this thoughts and murmured words were long strings of every curse word he knew. It wasn't very many so he repeated the four or five that he knew fluently as he grabbed hold of the chains to prevent himself from sliding any further down the wall. 

He stared hard at Morgan's kingdom, looking for any signs of Gabriel. It would have been a great relief to see Gabriel popping his head up and showing some inclination to get him off the wall. There was very little that he could see though. The dizzying amounts of lights were everywhere making small burns on his retina and more colours to dance irritatingly about.

And then he saw the two figures creep out and into the open, moving quickly from a series of caves by the castle walls. _Gabriel! All right, now he just has to get me down from here._

Gabriel turned his head skyward. He shook his head. He thought he had just seen Carl hanging from the tower wall, but that was absolutely...

_No. Look again Gabriel. Short stature, large cloth robes, small -no, correction, smallish-head...That's Carl hanging from the tallest tower in Morgan's INFERNAL castle._

He stopped short. "Well this is just perfect."

"What? The fact that we still have to get over the wall? Or Carl hanging from Morgan's tower?"

"Both." Gabriel replied. He took out his grappling gun. "Come on." Mina stepped over to him and felt his hand pressed against the curve of her back, holding her tightly against his chest. He lifted his arm and shot for the top of the wall. The hook snapped out from the gun, embedding itself in the rock and snapping taught.

"Just think about being a bat." He told her as his arm around her back tightened and Mina slung her arms around his neck. With their heads facing skyward the gun began to work. The two were pulled into the air and swung over the wall and onto the stone floor of the wall once again.

"This just keeps getting better and better." Gabriel commented when the guards appeared as if out of nowhere. They stepped out of the shadows with their pale skin glowing. The Faeries that fluttered around the castle were screaming and shouting, giving alarm to those who still didn't know that their castle had been breached. He pulled the hook from the wall just as the first sword swung at him. Mina kicked one out of the way, knocking him back a few feet just as the other slashed at Gabriel. He fired the grappling gun straight ahead, the hook finding its way into the tower where Carl was hanging. Mina had already taken care of the other guard by snatching a dagger off Gabriel's belt and running the other through.

"We really don't have time for this." She said back to him, just as he grabbed hold of her again.

"You really are new to this line of work aren't you?" He asked jokingly, running with her and jumping over the small turrets and swinging down and over the courtyard. Mina wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head into his shoulder as the ground left her feet and she took flight temporarily. Gabriel swung down between the towers and onto an arched, stained glass ceiling. It took him a moment but it was registered quickly in his mind. They were over top of Morgan's ballroom.

"So what's your plan now?" She asked him, waiting to be impressed with some other of his gadgets and his way out of this situation. Especially since there were now bows being loaded from the outer wall. Gabriel pushed Mina to the tower wall, tossing her the bowstring he was carrying for her. She was already gathering her weapon from her back. He looked across to the wall.

_Wait a second Gabriel..._His mind told him. _They're aiming is entirely off. They'll never hit us at that angle..._

_But they will hit..._

"Any second you see fit to get me down from here would be just excellent Van Helsing!" Carl shouted just as the arrows started to fly. The poor Friar lifted his legs and twisted against the wall as the Faeries used his writhing body for target practise.

Mina strung her own bow, forsaking the fact that she could barely aim half as well as the Faerie sentries who were firing at Carl. The Friar gave another scream as the arrow struck the wall by his head. The wooden shaft of the arrow splintered and cracked as another narrowly missed his arm.

The arrow from Mina's bow sped through the air. Her technique was better than in the woods, but naturally, her aim was off by inches. It was hardly the accuracy Gabriel was praying for, but in the end, it got the guards' to turn their attentions towards the outnumbered man and woman on top of their Mistress's ballroom.

"Now that you've got their attention..." Gabriel began. He grabbed the remaining canister of Greek fire from his coat. From a good distance he smashed the canister against the stained glass ceiling. The tiny pieces of jagged clay and inky liquid flew back and just missed his hair and face again. With a burning intensity in his eyes, Gabriel turned and grabbed Mina's wrist as she let another arrow fly. They ran to the flames on the unbroken ceiling.

"Jump!" He ordered. Their feet left the ground and hit the glass. It was only for seconds though and with the combination of their weight and the fire the window beneath them shattered and dropped them into the crowded ballroom below.

Gabriel spun Mina close to his body in a quick movement and fired the grappling hook upwards towards the ceiling. The sharp hook latched onto the thick beams and stopped their fall a few feet from the ground, hanging over the heads of the Faerie dancers they had once been in the company of.

_Good going. You've found yourself in another ballroom with another crowd of supernatural creatures._

"What's your plan now?" She demanded.

"I'm working on that." He replied quickly. The ballroom had already gone into a frenzy, having either not heard the faeries outside or choosing to ignore them because of their little ceremony. With his quick reflexes he reached for the sword at his belt just as Mina started to slip from his grasp. She dropped into the crowds of the Faerie folk and was lost for the moment.

"Damn it." Gabriel cursed, and pulled out the sword as he let go of the grappling gun. He swung the iron blade to the side.

The iron blade made the Faeries stop short in fear and pain. The mere presence of the metal was enough to make some grab their heads in agony. Mina stood up with her bow armed and at the ready. The small iron tip of the arrow hovered around the pale faces of the Faerie people. They backed off and hovered in tight circles around the two, hissing and screeching at the intruders. Mina circled around, moving forward to Gabriel as he looked for a way out of the room.

"Alright. I'll go for Morgan. You help Carl." Mina nodded without complaint, never once questioning the orders that he handed her. She headed straight ahead, the arrow still held in the bow with her arm muscles flexed and tightened. Gabriel used his senses, fighting through the cloud of Faerie Magick coming from all sides of the ballroom. He sniffed the air and used all his wits to tell him that Morgan was in the same direction that Mina was headed. He swung the sword around a little, teasing the Faeries as if to dare them to try something. They hissed and screeched again as he took off after Mina.

He bounded around the corner and found his presence right on time. They had lost the element of surprise before ever having it, so it was no shock to find that Mina was already in over her head. She had run into three of Morgan's faerie sentries, each of which was armed with sharp daggers in each hand. The bow was obviously no match for close hand opponents, and she had given up on it long ago, relying mainly on hand-to-hand combat when she could.

_It's not like it does much to her anyways. We are talking about a vampire here._

Gabriel slashed the first that was closest to him, taking him out with nothing more that a scratch of the blade. The Faerie went into a spasm on the ground, writhing in agony as his body imploded and changed from a flawless and beautiful willowy creature to nothing but dust.

His eyes narrowed. He had seen the same thing happen before, but where?

The other two Faerie sentries were looking even more merciless with their friend's failure. Gabriel reached into his sleeve and quickly grabbed the lonely tojo blade from the pocket near his cuff.

"Here." He said, tossing it to Mina. He made sure she grabbed it before taking down another. The head of the sentry was thrown to the wall without much difficulty. His own body became dust just as the first had.

With a final thrust the last was finished off. Gasping for breath, Mina handed the tojo blade back to him. Gabriel put it back in his sleeve.

"I've figured it out." He said. "I know what Morgan wants to do. And I know why she needed your blood and flesh to do it."

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope this chapter saved readers from the mass of tedium and flashbacks between Morgan's capturing and Carl and onward. I got caught up in the need for angst and action that I started focusing on only one. Sorry about that everyone!

Oh, and a note to everyone: The Anna double will come in nearer to the end. I didn't want to stay in the cave any longer than I had to. Maybe that's a hint that they're returning to the catacombs...maybe it's not....WHO KNOWS?

Reviews:

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: The virus thing isn't looking too good right now. My mother says the comp might be totally fried and that's not good for either of us. It's worse for her since she's doing a University course over the Internet and needed the Microsoft Office for her assignments. I just hope she can get it fixed enough for even her to use it because I have my own computer at my dad's. It's not as good, but as long as she can get hers to work I'm happy. It's awesome to hear that life's getting back to normal for you.

**_Sir TiddyWinkle_**: I hope this chapter was exciting enough for you (I know the beginning was mainly dialogue. Hope you didn't start hurting the computer monitor). Next chapter will hopefully (if my timing's right) the confrontation, so it will be all fun until the end. Thanks for still loving my story despite the tedium!

**_HyperCaz_**: Self was right to tell me about boredom. I hope this chapter was exciting again. Lot's of fun when Gabriel's running around and Carl might be exploding things (Wait, he's on the tower isn't he?). I totally agree with you about LXG. I still think it was centred too much on Sean Connery's character. I wanted to hear more about everyone else. The real irony in LXG is that even though Connery's character was the leader in the movie, Mina is the 'leader' in the book and she's a woman. I thought it was ironic. I don't know about anyone else.

**_J_**: There were so many awesome things in The London Assignment. I laughed hysterically when Carl starts talking about Lip Rouge and Corset sizes. I can't imagine how many times David Wenham must have burst out laughing (although the man did play a cross-dresser in Moulin Rouge so one must question what his tolerance is for humour). Love the reference to Monty Python with the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch (I'm pretty sure you spelled it right but who knows). All I could see was the corpse of that blood sucking rabbit go flying through the air and Carl jumping up and down with glee (or maybe that just my sadistic side doing the thinking shrugs)

I can't say that's I've ever read and or watched the anime Hellsing, reason being that the two Blockbuster's we have in town don't carry much anime eye twitch and the anime they do have isn't that great (although, I must confess to having an addiction to Slayers and 'X' the series). I should go looking for it. What's it about?

'Macbeth's Syndrome' was a reference to Macbeth's problem that when he thought too hard about something he would second-guess himself. Sorry, I read Macbeth last year in English and thought of Carl almost immediately. Macbeth is about to kill the king, thinks about it, hesitates, suck it up, attempts to kill the king, thinks about it, hears the son cry out in his sleep, hesitates again, kills the king...and the rest is history. I wasn't implying that Carl was about to kill the king or the equivalent of one (Jinette is priceless. He must survive!), just that he had a problem with thinking too hard.

Oh man! If the DVD artwork sucks shit than that means...well that means that I'll still buy it but be disappointed. Perfect.... Just my luck that the movie I'm waiting for the most (besides Kill Bill 2 and Ladder 49) has SHTTY artwork. Shakes fist

Tremors.... giggles at old memories of watching only one episode on the Sci-Fi network before having to turn it off Carl's awesome that way. He could come up with a weapon or a plan, as long as someone blindfolded him before he could get a good look at what they were up against. I can't wait to write about how he gets down off the tower (That's next chapter). Sighs SO many ways to kill Morgan, so little time. Maybe Gabriel will just leave her alive and start a long line of people to score hits on her. Now that would be funny. She would just keep on recovering and the hits would keep on coming laughs evilly. I watched too many violent movies as a child...

**_Grissom_**: Wow. Spontaneous combustion due to a story I wrote? I wouldn't be sure whether to be flattered or be insulted. I would probably take it as a compliment anyways.

Don't feel badly about using WordPad. I hate the damn thing. It doesn't check your mistakes and it doesn't have as many pretty fonts (font is everything in my mind. It has to look good even if I'm the only one who'll see it like that). Our computer is pretty fucked up right at the moment. Pardon my 'French' but it's the only way to describe it. Our Norton Anti-Virus is going haywire and bringing up over sixty viruses (I'm blaming my brother, but isn't that the response to everything? If something goes wrong, the most petty and immature thing to do is blame the sibling. Naturally, it's my first response...)

You have the same problem I have. I can be inspired by nothing at all and the scenes are always ones that come later in the story and never in the beginning. I can't write introductions very well (which is why most of the beginnings to my stories are pretty bad). I can come up with the endings to stories that I haven't even thought out yet, and when I go to write them I can't get started properly.

I like England as a setting. I have only been there once but it is rich with history of human civilization. The Celts settled there, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Vikings...and that's just the people. Then there are the stories and the bloodshed and the Magick and the mystery. Even for people who haven't been there it's fascinating. Judging by your other stories it will be great in the end.

Yes, Canada, eh? I hate to admit it, but the use of eh? Is actually quite common here. It's pretty hilarious. I even find myself saying, 'I know, eh?' It's habit now. However there are a lot of things that aren't true about Canada. It's not that cold here and we certainly don't travel around in dog sleds (depends on how far North you go. I haven't been much further than Lake Superior, and that's not that far). The only people you have to worry about seeing it before October are those who downloaded it off the Internet, but it's getting really hard to do now that they're cracking he whip down on Internet Pirates (hides all the burned CD's of movies under the floorboards and looks around suspiciously) Lol. Just kidding.

Happy Before-College-Starts! That chapter up there, that's my gift to you. I proofread it a few times, so hopefully it's better than the others.

**_Trinity Van Helsing_**: Did you have any doubt that Van Helsing would kick their butts? Thanks very much!

**_Scholar_**: I'm happy to hear that you're still interested. I was worried with my prolonged absence that people had given up completely. That's a weird remedy. I've never heard of citrus juice doing anything but stinging wounds (And you're eyes if you happen to peel an orange the wrong way shudders at the memory) Then again, I could see Carl doing something like that giggles. And if it worked for someone in the tower of London...

**_Nicolaus Pacione_**: I had meant to write in that the Spiders were your idea. They were supposed to have a larger part than that but I'm glad you noticed them just the same. Thank you for letting me use them! Congratulations on having some exclusive stories on Fictionpress. I have to check back there more often. I haven't had time to write original fiction lately. Thanks for saying that you'd publish me. Hopefully I'll get some kind of story idea to write about. Right now I'm pretty focused on this. Thank you!

**_Well, it's late and I'm tired. Thank you for everyone's reviews. I really like reading and responding to them. It gives me a break from thinking about the story, which is healthy in my mind. Hope everyone is happy with the progress and are looking forward to another end but a new beginning (if I can work out the plot holes in the sequel). If anyone has any ideas, questions, and comments...yada yada yada...feel free to mention them in a review. Happy reading, writing, whatever you like doing!_**


	22. Truth, Speculation, and Gravity

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts pertaining to the movie Van Helsing in this story are the property of director Stephen Sommers. This story is an amateur writing effort. There was no money made off th thinking, writing, and or posting processes of this story.

* * *

Chapter 22: Truth, Speculation, and Gravity

"What if Morgan really is making an army?" Gabriel said, looking down at Mina. She searched in his eyes for an answer of some kind, a reason that Morgan would want such a thing but then it dawned on her, and the realization seemed to come to Gabriel as well. "An army that could take out Fallon's control on Merlin's land and she could reign supreme again."

"But Merlin's land lays on an iron mine. What good could conquering that do? Her army would die before they cross the edge of the forest."

"Unless her army was immune to iron..." Gabriel said. It all seemed so clear to him now, even though the majority of his theory was based on speculation. "Think about it Mina. What is she using to bring these things back from the dead? Flesh and hair of a vampire, shards of an enchanted sheath and..." He waited a moment. He knew Mina would pick up on the last bit somewhere.

She smiled weakly at the thought.

"Synthetic blood." She said with a larger smile. "Blood that happens to be loaded with iron."

"Precisely." He said. "Blood that would make her army invulnerable to the effect of iron."

"How so?"

"Morgan didn't come back for you until she found that your blood contained so much iron that it could kill her faeries." Gabriel was leading her mind back to the attic, when she had reached for the chest and found her hand in the mouth of the faerie. Seconds later, the small creature was nothing but dust. Meanwhile, they chewed happily on Gabriel's flesh without stopping. "She changed her plan. With your blood she not only got the power of the vampire..."

"But the flesh to sustain it and the power to combine species. With vampire flesh they could live with the iron in they blood." Mina smiled again, only to have the image fade a moment later. Something still wasn't making sense to her. "But wait...the vampires would die because of the sunlight."

"Not if they had the Excalibur sheath with them." Gabriel said. "Vampires would not burn in sunlight. Their flesh is indestructible with the sheath remember?"

Mina nodded. "And with the catacombs she could have an army of anceint warlords who could march on Fallon almost immediately."

She seemed content with that answer. It fit well enough in with Morgan's plan. Perhaps that had been her plan all along, to create an army with the combination of the faerie and the vampires (Well, at least the second version of her plan. Morgan had no idea Mina possessed the ability to scientifically create what she could not magically). And with an indestructible Boadicea roaming the landscape...Mina shuddered to think about it. She hated the idea of what Morgan couldn't take for her own rather than what she could. It was easier to think about those places that would be resistant and remain, rather than those that would fall within minutes to the power of the queen.

Mina was still lost in thought as Gabriel climbed up the steps in the tower, moving quickly towards what he hoped would be the final battle between he and the Faerie queen. She jogged after him with another arrow in her bow.

"Have your plans changed yet, Mr. Van Helsing?" She asked him, attempting at keeping the conversation going. Silence bothered her in situations such as these when there was little thinking to do.

"The vague ideas haven't. Everything else is put into a different perspective though." He said, looking upwards the whole time. The stairs ended at a landing that spawned off to two doorways, one he assumed held his prey, the other holding the window that would lead them to Carl. It was as if God was testing him, showing him these two doors, telling him that in each there was a dire situation that called him to it. _Come Gabriel. In one door I have the monstrous woman who seeks to threaten the life of my children. In the other, your scientific friar friend who denies me with his belief in science is about to die. Choose wisely and I might pat you on the head and give you some idea of who you really are. Choose poorly and I'll send you go back to the Vatican AGAIN._

"A very different perspective." She said and listened carefully.

Gabriel gave a whimsical smile to the thoughts rattling through his brain and bounded faster up the stairs than he had before.

* * *

Carl looked up again to the room above him, finding that there were no shadows moving across the wall now. He had heard the door closed and had decided that Morgan had stormed off when the conversation became too dull for her and was probably off doing something evil with someone else. He found that when someone entered the room he could keep track of their movements by the shadows cast on the wall and the sounds that projected out the window to his ears. Even though his arms were practically pressed against his head he could still hear the footsteps of the Faerie sentries and the sounds of their voices when they chose to speak.

The door creaked open above. Carl strained again to watch but found that his neck was causing his dislocated shoulders to sting in pain, and he was forced to look down again. He heard struggle from above and the sound of projectiles being shot through the air. _Van Helsing_? He thought, and then found that it couldn't be. Gabriel's rifles shot faster than that. The objects being fired must have been arrows or something.

There was the sound of sizzling flesh and then a head appeared out of the window.

"Carl?" _Strange. Gabriel sounds more female than I remember. _Carl lifted his head. The brown hair flapped around the face that stared down at him, and he smiled. It wasn't Gabriel. It was Mina.

"It's about time you two got here." He called to her. "While you two were frolicking in some field somewhere I'm getting hung on the side of an unnaturally large tower with an enchanted Queen whispering death threats over my head."

_Frolicking in a field somewhere?_ Mina shrugged. "Carl I'm going to try and pull you back up alright?"

_Oh, just bloody perfect._ Carl began focusing on his string of curse words again as Mina grabbed hold of the chain and began to pull back on it.

She picked up on the sound of the door being opened, and she just barely dodged a sword swinging down in her direction. Carl heard the struggle from below.

"Mina?" He called after her, only able to hear the sounds of shuffled footsteps and a sword striking stone on the walls. Carl shook his hands in the manacles.

There was a jolt that ran through his body.

His hands were starting to slip out of the cuffs and his body was only pulling him closer to the ground.

* * *

Gabriel knew that Morgan was already aware that he had arrived. He was not expecting what he found when he opened the other door on the other side of the tower though.

The light flickered from the hundreds of candles that were lit around the outside of the circular room. He had pictured this meeting between he and Morgan many times, seeing her looming over a giant pot of potion like the crone witches in storybooks or slaughtering humans with a short bladed dagger. But all he saw was her staring at him, seated calmly on the chaise in front of him. She could have been there for any reason if one were to judge by just the way she held herself.

But then he saw the light hit the metallic sheath of her broad sword. And he saw the cruel glare in her eyes as he stepped inside the room holding out the iron sword at the ready, consumed only by the thoughts of what he was sent there to do.

"So you finally figured out the secret of the iron then?" She asked him. Her voice was calm. His other enemies would breathe heavily by now, but her fear was either entirely masked or there was none at all. She was still the cruel, calm Queen of Fey after all. Gabriel nodded to answer her question. "I would have thought that Friar to have told you, but you had to get Fallon to answer that question didn't you?"

"You know Fallon?" He asked her, his own voice never wavering. Morgan seemed to be growing tenser by the minute as he proved to be just as unafraid as she. But she managed a nod just the same.

"Oh yes. Fallon was one of my favourite human slaves. When he would disobey I would happily draw a dagger across the flesh on his face." Gabriel remembered the scars on Fallon's face. _So that was how he knew so much about the way in and out of here._ "When he escaped I was distraught, even more when I discovered that he started guarding Merlin's old kingdom from me."

Morgan stood up. The movement caused Gabriel to become edgy, his arm tightening as he gripped the sword harder. She smiled again. It was easy to tell she too was losing interest in the conversation. "In the world of the Fey, one assumes the power from a kill. Their enemies yield their Magick to their destroyer, along with all their lands. Fallon is a fool to protect such a place when he knows I will come back into the possession of it not long from now."

She took one step forward.

"All that remains is to rid myself of all adversaries and you, Van Helsing, must be dealt with swiftly." She pulled the sword from the sheath and tossed it aside. The blade was like nothing Gabriel had ever seen before. It was ancient, he could tell that much, with the running lines of runes that moved down the forte. He couldn't read them from his standing position but he knew better than to think they were anything good or that this was the best time to wonder something like that.

"I don't know what good it will do to kill you though." She said. "You'll probably just come back in another form. Or perhaps you will simply recover such as all immortals. I wouldn't know. I've never killed an angel before."

* * *

Mina could hardly think between the fast paced blows coming from the two guards that had found their way into the tower chamber and started their attack on her. Her bow had found itself in the path of their swords, and the one tojo blade she had managed to hang onto had been thrown to the floor and was lost in the shadows somewhere where she couldn't find it.

She found herself unarmed against two Faeries with nothing but her wits to get her out of the situation.

"I've got another problem here Mina!" Carl shouted from outside.

"So do I Carl!" She called back. Her eyes were stuck on both the guards. She wished she hadn't vomited up every last bit of blood from her system back in the cave. At least then she might change form and destroy them without worries of Carl being sucked dry in the process as well. And as for her immortal flesh? _They could stab me and then throw me out the window, and that wouldn't help either Carl or me would it?_

The guards attacked simultaneously. Carl could only hear the small sounds of struggle as armor was crunched against stone. The limp body of a guard was hurled out the window and flew past him down into the abyss of darkness below.

Carl never heard the body hit the ground. When he looked down, he questioned the presence of the earth there at all.

There was the sound of another body falling. Before he could do anything, Mina grabbed onto him about the waist to stop herself from plummeting into the great beyond as well. The guard who fell with her tumbled past them to the abyss below.

Gravity was starting to win the battle.

* * *

Gabriel's head lowered. Suddenly this battle was getting very personal.

"You don't remember it do you?" She asked him, holding the sword out at her side with her eyes locked on him. "Nothing about your past life. Everything before your fall to the Vatican steps is nothing but a nightmare right now, am I right?"

"How do you know that?" He asked her, almost demanding her. Morgan smiled.

"You are too easy Gabriel. What did you think? That you could avoid taking the unholy plummet into the dark embrace even though you broke the laws of the God you served?" His hand tightened on the sword. What was she talking about? That he was an angel? That he was a servant of God? It wasn't possible.

Or was it?

"What else do you know?" He asked her.

"I know who ripped out your wings." She said. "And I know why they did it as well."

Pain flared through his back from his scars with her words. Morgan seemed to sense that his muscles were in agony as the old wounds burned without him ever knowing why. No one at the Vatican ever told him why. They just told him what he must do. They gave him the after, but he wanted to know the before.

And now someone else was offering it to him. Someone who knew something of his past was offering it to him again.

"Strangely you are resistant to me. How is that Gabriel? How is it that a being such as you cannot remember what they are but can still use the powers they were left with when thrown down, back to earth?"

He took a deep breath. Was he really ready to hear what Morgan had to say? Or was he about to run from it again?

_No..._he thought to himself. _I'm not running._

"Is this just your way of delaying the inevitable?" He asked her. "One way or another Morgan I'm going to kill you."

"Very well then." She said. "Perhaps I'll whisper it in your ear as you lay dying."

Gabriel had barely any time to react. Morgan charged.

* * *

"I don't even want to comment on this highly suggestive position you've chosen to fall into." Carl said, shouting over the roaring winds that threw themselves against the side of the tower. Mina's grip on his waist tightened and only caused his wrists to sink further out of the cuffs that held him.

"It's not like I had a lot of other options." She said. "He did throw me out the window. Is there no way you can climb up?"

"You're the one who can turn into bats. Not me."

"Not on a whim Carl. I would suck you dry if I tried."

"You're still the immortal here." He said.

"It doesn't look like there's something to hit if one were to fall from here."

"Those are minor technicalities and hardly the things to be bringing up at a time like this." Carl's mind was moving even though his body was not. His wits were still twice as fast as they should have been and when at last he came to his conclusion it was just in the nick of time. He could feel his body start to slide down the wall with the added weight.

"Mina..." He said. "Take off your coat."

"I beg your pardon?" Mina asked him. For a moment there she had heard Carl ask her to take off her clothes. "This is hardly the place for that..."

"The whole world would be a better place if someone listened to me." He said. "Take off your coat Mina!"

"How do you suggest I do that without falling?" She asked him. Carl shrugged.

"All I know is that if you do so we could land somewhere other than a bottomless pit." Mina stared at him with widened eyes. "And you won't have to do anything but trust me."

"I knew there was a catch." She replied. "Hold still. I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Morgan found that he was harder to beat this time. He was fuelled by something other than just strength, and it would take everything within her power to get rid of him before she could finish what she had begun not long before he had arrived.

Gabriel swung his sword and knocked hers out of the way. He anticipated that from the moment the fight began that this would not be easy. _When is it ever easy?_ His mind asked him, but he couldn't find the time to answer in the midst of being swung at by Morgan's blade.

He ducked down and jumped up the first chance he got, bringing the sword up vertically along her dress as if to slash her from the hem of her skirt to the nape of her neck. She twirled backwards with her sword horizontal again, the bottom of her dress spiraling outward and tumbling around her legs beautifully. Their swords were caught in the air, hitting each other with the clang of metal. The iron blade caused her one to burn with red-hot flame, and only then did Morgan realize her error in using a Faerie blade. She jumped back and dashed across the room, grabbing hold of one of the Excalibur blades. When she spun around, she lowered her body and slid under Gabriel's outstretched blade, taking the edge of it along her throat.

The scream that issued forth out of her mouth was unlike none of her subjects before. The iron blade caused the flesh to cauterize in a very instant. Although blood did not flow from it, the wound did not heal like the others. It stayed and glared angrily back at the person who administered it to her. Gabriel gave a small grin at the effect it had, happy at last he wasn't just 'shooting until he hit something vital', or something along those lines.

Morgan grabbed the wound.

"I suppose I'll have to ask you for the information as you lay dying."

"HAH!" Morgan said and was back in action with both hands on the handle of the sword. She swung with so much force the blade was a blur in the air. Gabriel had but to miss a step backwards and his chest would become the new sheath for the sword, and he knew Morgan would not miss a chance for that to happen. He dropped again with Morgan just within inches and stabbed upward into her chest.

Morgan twirled around the sword as the tip slid by her side and the blade came to rest in the curved of her hip. Hers was resting over Gabriel's head, able to plunge into his flesh at any time.

Gabriel twisted the blade on its side and smashed it into her chest, finding that it barely cut through the corset. She kicked him to the floor and placed the tip of her blade to his chin, running one hand long the metal bindings that lined her undergarments. He cursed at himself for not considered what type of precautions she took in her confining clothes.

"You know I was almost afraid of you." She told him. "Almost afraid of you. But in the end you're the same as everyone else who have met the tip of a sword blade. You just weren't good enough to make the cut."

Just before she could thrust forward Gabriel launched the tojo blade out of his sleeve and into his hand, barely giving it enough time to speed up before swinging it at Morgan and hurling it towards her.

The spinning blade hit her in the ribcage, and although the blade would do nothing compared to the iron wound on her neck, it gave Gabriel time to grab his sword and get out of the way of her blade. Angrily, Morgan ripped the circular blade from her skin and tossed it away, holding her sword out and at the ready.

Gabriel lunged at her again, this time picking up momentum every time their swords clashed. Morgan's jaw was clenched tightly as she swung again. Both her hands were on the hilt of her sword but she had none of the composure she had before. She was getting angry, and Gabriel knew what that meant. Anger meant the decisions one made were rash. And that meant that it gave Gabriel some kind of advantage.

_Or it means that she's going to win, but however you like to look at it is fine by me_, he thought.

Their fight took them into the centre of the room, surrounded by the candles as their flickered on all sides of the room. It was growing hot in the chamber, but Gabriel felt better than ever somehow. It felt like he was winning.

He swung to Morgan's throat again. Her blade was lifted and swung his out of the way. She thrust forward and managed to dig the tip into his shoulder again, not far from where she had stabbed him the first time. She pulled back and splattered the blood on the floor. The action gave her renewed strength, knowing that she had injured him. It reminded her that he was just a mortal anyways.

Gabriel ignored it for the time being. He and Morgan were back into their routine again, only this time he was on the offense this time. His movements played out before him like a chess match. He lunged at the end of it, just brushing past her body. He recoiled in enough time to knock her blade out of the way and send her into a spin, one that brought the edge of her sword back to his throat. He knocked it back and kicked her to the ground.

The sword flew from her fingertips and was thrown a few feet away. Morgan was on her back, chest heaving, with Gabriel's sword at her throat.

It looked like he had won, but she smiled to herself. He stabbed forward and hit nothing but air as Morgan disappeared from sight.

* * *

Gabriel ran out of Morgan's chamber, dashing across to the opposite side of the tower. Normally he would have gone straight for the monster, but how was he supposed to know if Mina had got Carl back up and on safe ground yet?

What he found was something that made his eyes roll and his body slump in exasperation. Not only did he find Carl hanging from the wall this time, but also Mina was clutching him about the waist to stop herself from plummeting to the depths below.

"It's about time you showed up here Van Helsing!" Carl called to him. Mina looked up and tried to smile but found it very hard to do so in a situation that was that dire. Gabriel sighed.

"Are you sure you two want back up here? You're looking rather cozy to me..."

"I hardly find that funny under the circumstances." Mina said, although the small smile told him that he had distracted her from the sunrise just a little. "Mind lending a hand here Gabriel?"

"Two, if I can spare them." He called back and grabbed the chain with his vice-like grip before yanking back on the chain.

Carl sighed in relief as he felt the chain lift up and gravity lose the war on his body. He just kept a tight grip on the chains for the sake of both he and Mina (mainly himself though. There was a greater chance that Mina would walk away from this than he would). Gabriel pulled back again, keeping steady with his foot against the ledge of the window. He reached down and grabbed hold of Carl's hand.

"Oh for goodness sakes Gabriel get her off me first! I swear she's not as light as she looks." Mina took immediate offence to Carl's words but she found no way to slap him or otherwise.

"Fair enough." Gabriel said. He held the chain under his foot and grabbed for Mina, who took his hand proudly and hoisted herself into the tower in seconds.

Just as she released his hand, Gabriel lost his footing. The chain slipped down the wall. The monster hunter felt he friar's hand slide from his and when he went to retrieve it he found nothing but air. The chain jerked as Carl's hands slid from the manacles and he dropped into the dark abyss.

* * *

Author's Notes: I have some explaining to do. I was growing so tired of the journey to the palace that I did not add the journey through the catacombs. Sorry everyone! I hope it wasn't too much of a leap for Gabriel to figure it out like that. I also hope that the reason wasn't too much of a let down for people. I at first thought that perhaps Morgan could be absorbing the power of her weaknesses, but I figured that was too hokey and changed it later to the army idea, just because it seemed more plausible 1) That it was Morgan's plan and 2) That Gabriel could have thought of it so quickly.

As for the ending I say: HA! I've still got the ability to make cliffies! Now I bet every Carl fan out there is going to come after me with torches and pitchforks but I promise. Nothing TOO terrible will happen to Carl and he will live to see the last chapter (although how far after that will be up to me evil laugh before having to avoid a thrown pitchfork). I'm kidding!

And don't even get me started on Van Helsing fans. They're probably all getting annoyed with Morgan's vanishing act. But if I ended it there, everyone would be so dissatisfied with the ending! Who would want an ending where it was easy?

The way I'm looking at it there are two more chapters left in this story, and readers have already caught on that at least on of them is an epilogue of some kind (Mina and Gabriel still haven't kissed, and I am a romantic at heart).

Reviews:

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: My computer's working again! The unfortunate thing is that I lost everything, and I'm not the type of person who backs things up on floppy disks. So everything's gone except whatever I did print out, put on a disk, or posted. I'm just happy I posted everything for this story because if I lost it I WOULD GO INSANE.

I hope this was soon enough for you and the chapter was enjoyable!

**_J_**: The DVD cover is blue? The green was what made it awesome! I mean it's the signature colour of the movie. What colour were Dracula's children? They were green! What colour was the whole movie basically tinted? Green! Oh, this makes me very angry. Blue is overused!

It's good that there's someone who can tell me something good about Hellsing. When I spoke to my Anime obsessed friends they were going on about how much it sucked. Of course you have to take into account that these two get enjoyment out of the simplest things. They're both huge on Fushigi Yugi, a series that has very little to offer except potential as firewood (no offence if you like it).

I'm sure Carl has plenty of things left to explode. He'll probably have a lot of fun with someone like Morgan (Gets mental image of Carl with a flamethrower and starts laughing hysterically).

Pygmy is a funny word. I think it would be difficult to be cuter than Dracula's offspring. I found that they would make really nice pets. You could force all your enemies into the room with them and...well you get the idea. I think Carl would have some fun with those things. There would be an unlimited number of testers for his latest inventions (I wonder how concerned with animal rights they were back in those days and if those things counted as animals. Shrugs I guess we'll never know).

**_HyperCaz_**: The book LXG is based off other books. It combines characters from various stories throughout history like Mina Harker, Alan Quartermain, Dr Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, and Griffon (I believe. I haven't looked at the book in a while. Anyways, he's the invisible man), and Captain Nemo. There was no mention of Tom Sawyer or Dorian Gray (although there is the portrait of Dorian on the cover of my book. I laughed a little). The book I read had the villain from Sherlock Holmes (it took me a moment to clue in and remember everything about Holmes. I didn't read a lot of things with him). It's very good. If you enjoyed the movie you'll probably enjoy the book.

Hellboy is an awesome movie. It was just released on video and I bought the DVD. It's about a demon that works for a secret bureau in the government and fights other demons that come to destroy the world. It's like Van Helsing with a six-foot-tall cat loving, cigar smoking demon named Hellboy. Carl is replaced by a fish-man named Abe with telepathy and Anna is replaced by a pyrokinetic. I like the way you described the villain. Now that you mention it he is kind of a Nazi wizard. I recommend it to Comic book lovers or adventure seekers. It's good.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow looks very odd indeed. I didn't notice the Stargate music (I don't watch that show that much, but I've enjoyed it when I have. Long live O'Neil!). I love Jude Law, but it's not something I'll go see in theatres (unless someone else pays my way for me).

**_SirTiddywink_**: Well I hope your computer monitor is still safe after this chapter (although dropping Carl off Morgan's tower was kind of the way the cookie crumbled I guess. These chapters have started to write themselves). The spiders were supposed to have a larger role (originally just Gabriel and Carl were to meet up with them, but the previous statement just defeated that). I hope the battle scene was to your liking and not to confusing.

**_Trinity Van Helsing_**: I can't wait to write in the Anna copy. It will be nice to get that over and done with (I'm one of those people who didn't mind the fact that Anna died. I mean you had to make way for another kick ass chick in the next movie). And the catacombs...damn it! I really need to add that scene. Maybe I'll do some deleted scenes just for fun.

**_The White Witch of NY_**: The big kiss will be coming up (Maybe not until the last chapter) but its coming. Besides, I doubt Gabriel would kiss her while Carl is falling to his 'death' and Morgan's run off somewhere again. But I'm not going to reveal any more of my ending while there's still story to write.

And I agree, Gabriel returning to the Vatican with a vampire girlfriend? That would be the best thing to see beside Jinette's reaction to Carl and the barmaid laughs out loud. Oh! I'm having too much fun with this story!

**_Grissom_**: I was worried I wouldn't hear from you before I posted this! But then I came home and found your review and nearly jumped for joy without leaving the computer chair (Now that's talent).

I love people with empty lives. It's probably why I love the shows that I do. Every main character on the shows/movies I love usually have empty lives. Let's go through the list: Doggett and Mulder, Jack Bauer (24), Grissom...empty lives! And don't even get me started on my own life...

And as for the 'nice' death for Morgan...I wouldn't worry about it. It'll come and I promise, it will be something no one can forget (I hope. I seem to fall into the trap of overused ideas, but what author can stay away from them? Do you know how many fantasy stories came out post-Harry Potter? My point exactly).

I love the X-Files. Even though it all started to go downhill post-movie I still watched it. It wasn't until they added Reyes (who I started to loathe when she replaced Scully) that I realized Chris Carter had lost his mind. And the series finale? Twelve chimpanzees on typewriters could have thought of something better. But other than that, I enjoyed it. My X-Files stories are pretty bad. The first one is total Mary-Sue and I read it and nearly gagged! But I guess that's how one learns to write better and escape from those silly girlish dreams of ending up with a really hot guy and a nice house.

Congratulations on getting Office! It's so nice to have it back on my comp, and yes, it is very pretty compared to Word Perfect. So many pretty fonts...You're lucky your brother is younger than you. Mine's three years older than me and he makes me so angry sometimes (grr...).

I can't wait to see what you have in store for Van Helsing! I would love to Beta if you'd let me. I'm just going to warn you though, I'm terrible with locations so don't expect much help from there. I'm just making this as accurate as I can. But the rest I'm pretty good with. Let me know! I'm sure it will be just great.

Louisiana? I wouldn't mind going there, specifically New Orleans (I'm an Anne Rice fanatic).

_**Thanks again to all the reviewers! Now you do your thing and I'll keep doing mine!**_


	23. Looking into the Mirror

* * *

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts pertaining to the movie Van Helsing in this story are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur effort. There was no money made off of this story.

* * *

Chapter 23: Looking Into the Mirror

Gabriel cursed himself for have allowing Carl to have fallen. He reached into his coat for his grappling gun and snatched it from his chest pocket. With a snap, the hook was embedded in the top of the arched window and he went into a swan dive straight after Carl.

Mina stared after him as he was lost in the darkness. She could make out the corners of his trench coat, flying upwards before his falling body and creating the guise of a demon. Anyone else who saw him plummeting towards the earth would have probably made that same mistake.

His feet touched the ground and he landed on the edge of the giant hole in the earth. It stretched down into a lightless chasm, reaching God-knows-where. He let go of the gun, allowing it to dangle from the tower instead of yanking it free. He was concentrated now, focused on something other than the kill. It was odd to focus for once on the living.

"Carl!" He shouted, regardless of Morgan's guards that may be taking aim with their bows and arrows. He looked over the dark courtyard, trying to decipher the animate from the inanimate. The tall vines and shapes that appeared in the hedges from the flickering torches made it all the harder to find what he was looking for. It made the shadows move and dance on the high stone walls of the castle, making it even harder to sense for movement of the short friar.

_He can't be dead_. He told himself. _There's no way in hell he can be dead. _Carl had lived through too damn much to be dead at that point in time. If he was going to be beaten by a large drop to the courtyard...it just...it wasn't fair.

It sounded childish and he knew it. But Carl wasn't dead.

At least, Gabriel hoped so.

"CARL?!" He shouted again, looking around at the walls and wondering if he could have fallen that far. The distance from the tower was impossible, but then again, he reminded himself, he was thinking about Carl. He could probably have done it.

_It doesn't matter_, a voice in the back of his head told him. _He's probably lying somewhere, crushed from the impact, killed instantly..._

_Would you shut up for a moment?_ He had to think clearly and he certainly didn't need the sardonic pessimist in the back of his head taunting him with the thoughts of Carl's corpse.

Gabriel could hear the tightening of bow strings coming from above. He looked up to see the glint of light on metallic arrow heads, ready to let fly at the will of the Faerie sentries. He wished he had some kind of projectile to use against them. From that range it didn't matter. They were accurate enough when Carl was hanging off the wall. He was closer this time, and he was fairly certain that they wouldn't miss.

He was about to run away from the oncoming onslaught of arrows, but didn't have the chance to. He was thrown back across the ground from the explosion that issued forth from the wall, taking down all the sentries in the immediate area. Gabriel sat up with a groan, having heard his back crack with the impact. When he stared up at the wall, he saw Carl poke his head out between the parapets.

_There are so few surprises left for me in this world, _he thought to himself.

"Carl?" He asked again, wondering if he had just hit his head very hard on the ground when he was thrown back by the explosion.

"You look as if you've seen a ghost Van Helsing."

"I could very well be looking at one." He said, getting up and off the ground. A few more joints cracked as his back straightened out. _Maybe I should get that looked at_, he thought, but dismissed it rather quickly. "How the hell did you survive that?"

"Physics, Van Helsing." He shouted back. "Despite the Vatican's inability to listen to my request and create more aerodynamically designed clothing, it worked just the same."

"You want the Vatican to create...never mind."

"1 square yard of fabric will add enough drag on the human body to slow it down about twenty percent. I wasn't entirely sure if the calculation was correct but..." Gabriel drowned out the rest of Carl's speech. He looked down suddenly as a chill moved down his spine. Suddenly his concentration was brought back to his purpose and he found that he could actually sense Morgan running around the wall of the castle.

"No time for that Carl." He said, darting back to the hole. He had stopped Carl's lengthily explanation before he could begin, seeing that Carl shut his mouth slowly with a confused expression. Gabriel ripped the cable from the arch of the window and wound it back into the grappling gun before taking off to the wall again.

* * *

Morgan gripped her throat, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of blood creeping from the wound. The iron blade had caused the flesh to cauterize, but the blood could flow freely from her veins. Even if she did survive, she'd have the scar for the rest of her eternal life.

She couldn't take the water. It was too far to the river to get out of the castle. And she cursed Fallon for telling Gabriel the secret of the iron. Because of the gash he had made on her throat, her powers were dwindling. She had just enough strength to soar out over the wall and to the outskirts before transforming back into human form.

Her only method was escape was the caves to her left. She would have been more angry about her change of role in her and Van Helsing's little game, until she saw the magical eyes of her Faerie decoy. _Perhaps the hunter may still become the hunted_, she thought, and took off in the fastest run she could manage.

* * *

Gabriel knew where she was headed before he caught sight of her skirt disappearing into the mirrored walls of the cave. It was the most logical place to run. It was the only place where she could escape without using her powers, and he knew that Morgan was already aware that was what drew him nearer to her.

When he was on the ground he went into a run for the caves, reaching them much faster than he imagined Morgan had in her heavy skirt and tight corset. She was also wounded, which he could finally say was not the case with him. He felt better than ever as he pursued her, readying the iron blade quickly at his right side.

The sound of dripping water greeted him from inside the catacombs, along with the 'comforting' presence of his thousands of reflections. It was harder than hell to find one's way out of there, especially with the tunnels so hard to find with every wall looking the exact same. He followed the stone wall to the far left, reaching with his hand to steady himself and lead him back on the trail of his enemy. He could smell death from his right side, rising up from the graves of England's warriors and barbarians. Gabriel pressed onward with only a grimace from the scent of decay. _No wonder she doesn't use this road a lot._

The hall that opened away from the catacombs narrowed as one moved down it, but the vastness of the opening was not the only difficulty Gabriel had with following it. The reflections cast upon the walls being reflected by the arched surfaces made for a confusing walk. He couldn't trust his eyes in such a place.

He reached the spider webbed tunnels at the end of the corridor and stopped, looking around. Gabriel heard breathing first, trailing behind him. He didn't need to tighten the grip on the sword whatsoever, seeing as how it wasn't Morgan who stalked him.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the figure moving towards him. He could feel something creeping upon him, and he recognized it as something familiar: Disbelief.

Because the figure standing behind him, just a few feet away from him, was Anna Valerious.

* * *

Mina ran back through the tower, out of the door and into Morgan's chamber. The candle light flickered and several were blown out with the force of the door being opened. She looked around the room, hoping that Morgan had not dragged them with her. _How could she possibly carry so much weight? She had to have left them here._

She ran to the bed and the wardrobe, throwing open the oak doors and digging through the dresses. She tossed them to the ground behind her in a growing pile of taffeta and satin before pushing her hands back into the leftovers. There was nothing but clothing and corsets in there. Desperate, Mina grabbed the handles of the drawers and pulled them out with inhuman strength. Her mind was reeling as she dug through the corsets within. There was no sign of what she was looking for.

She took hold of the next drawer and dumped out only jewelry. The brilliant necklaces and hairpins scattered to the floor, but only made her more aggravated. _Where on earth would she have hidden them?!_

Mina ripped the covers off the bed. She searched beneath it, but found nothing on the floor. She threw furniture to the ground and tapped on the walls as she looked for a hollow spot inside them where Morgan could have stashed them away. As every possible hiding spot turned up nothing, Mina became more and more frantic. Her pulse quickened. Her face went pale as death. And with the last piece of furniture thrown to the floor she thought that she would lose every last bit of control completely.

But then her eyes found the trap door hidden by the wardrobe, and suddenly humanity held on for a little longer as she tried to find a way to open it up.

* * *

"It can't be." He said, reminding himself that this was reality, and in reality, very little if any of Anna's physical body was left on the planet after he and Carl burned it and allowed the ashes to fly out to the sea. Long story short, there was definitely not enough of her physical form to be walking up to him at the present time.

_After all that you've seen_, a voice in his head was speaking, _after all that you've done, is it really so unbelievable?_

If he were to take the last four years into account than no, Anna's body in front of him would not have been unbelievable. But he had to also take into account what Carl had said: No one, not Dracula or Morgan le Fey, were able to bring people back from the dead.

"Can't be? Is this your famous sense of humour again?" She smiled this time, her white teeth showing through her dark lips.

It took all of Gabriel's strength to look away from her face. He shook his head, still not believing what he saw.

"No. You're dead. I killed you. I killed you than I burned you." The impulses from his brain skipped the step where Gabriel thought about what he was saying and moved straight to his mouth. It wasn't like he could help it. This was the woman that he had once dreamed of a future with. He had once considered spending his life with this woman, to leave the church forever and embrace a life with her.

_Of course, she had been living then Gabriel_, he thought to himself.

"Is it so strange?" She asked him. "You saw Dracula return. Why is it that I cannot return as well?"

"You're not a vampire."

Again, she smiled, and again, Gabriel had to look away.

"I was tired of death. I wanted to come back to you."

Gabriel's hand tightened on the sword he held. He finally looked into Anna's green eyed gaze.

"You can't be Anna." He said. "Show yourself Morgan."

Anna's eyes narrowed at the words. Gabriel looked around again, peering over his shoulder.

"Must you depend on your foul servants to distract me?" He shouted again, his voice moving down the mirrored corridors. Anna took another step closer, her eyes still narrowed in confusion at his odd behaviour. Gabriel took a step back to compensate for the shortening space between them.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said. "I am Anna Valerious."

"And I'm Gabriel Van Helsing, charged with a mandate to destroy all that is evil."

Gabriel couldn't think anymore. His anger for Morgan to have recreated Anna for him took hold, and before he could stop himself, the iron blade was thrust forward and into the thick corset about Anna's body.

_Once again, I've killed her_, he thought, just as the disguise faded away.

* * *

Mina grabbed hold of the treasure. She smiled at it in the palms of her hands, and without another word, slipped it into the long sleeves of her shirt. No sooner had she completed that, the door was thrown open and two more faerie sentries had burst inside.

She grabbed hold of one of the swords lying at her lap and stood up, the weapon hanging clumsily in her hand. She could barely lift it up to defend herself it was so heavy. _He makes this look so easy,_ she thought before dismissing the constant voice in her head that provided her logic. She was too busy for that. She needed a way out of there.

The first guard knocked the sword out of her hand and made a long, bloody slash across her cheek, straight down her neck to her collarbone. Mina threw her head back, blood splattering on the candles and killing the flame on some. Her eyes flashed to red and her teeth lengthened, and when she turned around she could only see the fear in her enemy's eyes.

* * *

_Gabriel felt like his heart was breaking. He stared at the burning body of the Princess of the Gypsies while his heart was slowly imploding in his chest. Carl's words of God, hope, and love fell upon deaf ears as Gabriel's whole soul was broken in two._

_For the first time in four years he had felt heartache. He thought that he, above all, was able to avoid such a thing considering his background. He was a fighter, not a lover. He was too busy for love. There had been women. There had been the beautiful, the quick, the quiet, the strong, the smart, the dimwitted...there had been a woman for every man in the world in his life. But none had touched him like Anna had. None of them had made him consider a future as Anna had. Nothing made him feel stronger or smarter or better like Anna had. _

_Her love had given him those things and who better to have destroyed them than himself?_

_The thought made his tears burn his cheeks and his eyes. He stared into the flame as a punishment. He deserved to see her beautiful skin turn to charcoal and ash before flying out to see on the playful bursts of wind that flew by._

As the disguise vanished from the faerie woman who fell under his blade he felt that same feeling. Anna's eyes stared at his as her skin crumbled away and fell to the ground before vanishing. Her wild eyes, the ones that contained an eternally burning flame, were the last to disappear, and left Gabriel with the dame heartache as he felt when he watched her burn.

He pulled back the sword and dropped the body to the ground. The faerie writhed as the iron ate at her body. Gabriel took a step back and made the sign of the cross, only hesitating once.

_You see, it wasn't her. It was just a bloody illusion. Calm down Gabriel, it wasn't her. _He continued chanting that in his head as the faerie vanished. His heart continued beating through the pain. His mind started convincing his body that he was alright again. Only then did he turn and walk away, breathing deeply. It was the first time he ever felt his heart race.

* * *

Morgan had lost her way in the tunnels. Her neck wound was beginning to grow and reach upwards into her face, eating away at her skin. She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath of cool air before pressing onward.

_Come on. You've been through worse than this. You've lived through Merlin's death. You've seen centuries more than anyone Morgan! This is but a scratch. And when you meet Van Helsing again..._

_I'll do what?_ She asked the voice in her mind. _I'll cower in a corner? I'll barter my life for his past? I've got no weapon and these powers are useless._

Morgan turned as just the right instant to see Van Helsing standing there, sword ready, and already aimed at her heart.

"I didn't enjoy your last trick." He said.

"Oh, I thought you would have enjoyed seeing her again."

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE MEMORY OF HER LIKE THAT?" He said, getting closer to her with the sword tip.

"Why are you talking about memory?" She snapped at him. "You can't remember what you were in a past life Gabriel. All you have is a ring and a lie. That's all. You ran from Dracula but you will not run from me."

"What do you mean?" He demanded.

"You are a killer, Gabriel. You are an angel, but you are a killer. You are no better than I."

"You're lying. I don't kill for power."  
"Really..." She said, gripping her neck. Morgan scowled. "You killed for God, Gabriel. You killed for a power. Perhaps not your own, but you killed for someone else's. You and I are no different." Gabriel stopped his advance, frozen in place at the sight of Morgan's wild eyes. For the first time he couldn't feel the icy cold chill of malice surround him at the sight of her. For the first time it was like he was standing in a room with another person who could have been anyone.

"Ask yourself one question Gabriel: who are you? And don't just assume and certainly don't make excuses. Why else are you good to the Vatican for only hunting monsters and chasing demons? Why can you speak languages of place you cannot remember being and handle weapons you cannot remember using?"  
Gabriel felt her words hit hard. _You are a killer_. He tried to take them in without hurting but either way he knew it was going to. This was his life, his job, his curse. Why else would it fit so perfectly? There would be no other explanation for it except that he was, in fact, a killer.

"Why would God order me to destroy?"  
"God orders you to destroy now Gabriel. His voice is heard and spoken through the words of the fathers of lies at the Vatican. You are just a servant of that spoken lie." Morgan's eyes were fierce with pain and hurt. She gripped the wall tightly with her right hand, facing the sword tip.

He was silent, undecided. It was the second time he had ever been torn about something. He thought about it mutely, considering everything she had just said.

"How do you know all this?"

"I can see everything in your head, Gabriel. I can see everything that you cannot."

"The last person who promised me my past died." Morgan lowered her head, now getting a little more serious. She pulled her hand from the wound.

"Than what are you waiting for Gabriel? Why haven't you run from my words yet?"

Gabriel swung the sword forward a little, narrowly missing her as she swung past it, spinning down the edge of the blade. She grabbed his hand on the hilt of the sword with her magickal palm and sent fire down her arm. He continued to hold the blade stubbornly as his palm blistered.

"Are you afraid?"

"Never." He answered and jerked his hands harshly, trying to break free from her hold. She only tightened her grip and slammed him into the other wall with her left hand. Her eyes were burning blue. "Are you?"

"Fear is a waste of time." She replied. "But, then again, I remember everything about me. I know who I am."

Gabriel couldn't say anything. Usually he would have a response to that, but now he wasn't so sure.

Morgan's grip was starting to make his eyes water. He pushed against her but found it nearly impossible to move. Every limb was at her command with her bare skin on his. His fingers were starting to loosen on the sword.

"But what do you truly know of yourself?" She asked him, growing dangerously close to him. Gabriel tried to keep a good grip on the sword but found that the pain of the wound and the sweat from his flesh was causing it to slip down to the ground.

"Of course he does." A voice shouted.

Morgan suddenly screamed. A small glass orb had shattered against her side. The yellow oil that splattered over her dress and face caught flame. She and Gabriel whipped their heads around to the entrance of the tunnel just as Carl readied another orb.

"Drop me off a tower will you?" He said, tossing another.

Her grip loosened on Gabriel's wrist. Within a moment he had swung and chopped off her magickal hand at the wrist. The ligament fell to the ground, still twitching.

Morgan screamed, falling to her knees. Gabriel kicked the hand away from her and took a deep breath. His right hand was blackened by the burn but the pain was gone for him. It was just fed into his muscles, making them tighten. She looked up into the eyes of the hunter and opened her blood stained lips. Her blue irises seemed to shine for the first time as if fully aware of what was going on.

Her mouth opened and moved, forming a word. Gabriel wasn't sure if he truly say what she said, but his reaction was the same. He brought the sword out to his left side.

"May God save you, if he should see fit to do so."

The sword swung around, striking Morgan in the neck. Blood was sent in a splatter across the metallic walls before the body slumped over to one side and the head was knocked off to the other.

No one said a word. For the first time, nobody had anything to say. It took a moment, but Gabriel finally dropped the sword and backed away. He dropped to his knees, groaning as the scars on his back burned with white hot fury.

The last word Morgan had said was the name Michael.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope that the end of Morgan was satisfactory in everyone's opinion. Carl got a shot in and then Gabriel finished the job, so everyone goes home happy.

Now, to clarify a few things:  
I'm not going to explain the purpose of the name 'Michael' since I'm pretty sure a few readers have a pretty good idea of who he is. If you don't, don't be ashamed! It will either be explained a small bit in the next chapter or in the next story.

What was Mina looking for in the tower? And what of Morgan's blood? Will our beloved Mina Harker be free from her curse or is she royally screwed? And how does all of this reflect on Gabriel and her relationship? It's coming up next chapter as well. Start dreaming up cool and interesting things, but I hope a few of you have figured it out.

Now, on to...

Reviews:

**_J_**: Yes, I do think the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch should be employed for such a purpose as to punish Stephen Sommers for his silly use of the colour blue rather than green. Even the book cover is green! How could you change such a thing at the last minute?

Lol. There must be an awful lot of swearing in it to have bleeps even in Japanese (I find swearing humourous. It's probably just my weird mind). It sounds pretty cool though. I think I'll check it out. It might tide me over until the October release of Van Helsing (begins to weep). I feel so lost without that movie!

Interesting ideas you have there. Unfortunately, I think the flame thrower is a little predated in Van Helsing (although, some of the weapons Gabriel uses are a little bit before their time). That would be the most worthwhile movie moment in the history of movies. I would go back and see Van Helsing 2 over and over if it had Carl holding and using a flamethrower. Gabriel would probably take it away from him before he could use it to protect all of mankind. Then he would try and fire it and singe his pretty eyebrows off and Carl would laugh. Then Morgan would take over the world while Carl and Gabriel fought over the weapon and Mina would just cross her arms and say, "Men."

I would imagine that he got kicked out, judging by the scars. And if you read the website he was found outside the Vatican in a mass amount of feathers (they're really pushing this whole angel idea, aren't they?). Yeah, everyone has a different idea and draws different conclusions. Have you read Memories? It was one of the first Van Helsing Fanfiction stories and it was phenomenal. I can't remember who wrote it but it was one of my favourite stories. It went into detail about Mesada and the crusades and even made ties to Gabriel being Abraham.

**_The White Witch of NY_**: I didn't hurt Carl! In fact, Gabriel got a bigger beating than Carl (that was the case in the first Van Helsing too. Gabriel just gets dropped through ceilings, shot, scratched, bitten, tossed against walls and through rafters...Carl should feel lucky). Also, Carl asked Mina to take off her coat to give her the same lift his robes gave him. Like a parachute. I read somewhere the same theory. 1 square yard of fabric will add 20% drag on the human body. It wasn't anything sexual between them. It was to get her safely down to the ground.

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: Carl lives! Even I don't think I have the strength to kill Carl. I would try to think of any other possibility besides that one. If Stephen Sommers kills him off, even to give Gabriel the want for revenge, I would walk out of the theatre (And then walk back in so I didn't waste my ten dollars or my chance to see Hugh Jackman shirtless. After the movie though, I would be inconsolable for about ten minutes or so, like I was in the movie Collateral.)

**_Trinity Van Helsing_**: Ack! I knew I would be threatened by Carl fans everywhere for doing that. I couldn't end the story without having something amazingly drastic happen to Carl. I think I went above and beyond the call of duty, but I didn't kill him! And he got to throw something at Morgan! So I hope I made up for it in the end.

Thanks very much for what you said in first paragraph!

**_Kiss My Illiterate Ass_**: You better miss me a lot! I felt so alone after you left. It was hard to accept that I was the only one sleeping in my bedroom (sniffles).

By the way, I'm sorry we lost all that footage of you being dead. I miss that too. A least I still have the early video tape to watch, and I know where you live too so does that still make you a stalker? I don't know.

**_Grissom_**: Yes! I look forward to everyone's reviews, especially the one's that have been around since the earlier chapters and love finding new reviewers every time! Last chapter was the highest reviewed, so I was happy! Your reviews have become a constant with each chapter, and that was the main reason why I was worried. Plus, you leave the longest reviews (usually...) and talking/writing is my part time job, so yay!

Yeah, witches aren't the type you want to get into fights with without having several back up plans first. Gabriel is a little impulsive though (shoot now, ask questions later type of guy) so I could imagine him just rushing back in for another blow, even if it landed him with a stab wound or two, or three...Oh! Cruel thoughts about bad things happening to Van Helsing. Gotta love the ability to drop that characters into dark abysses and vast courtyards or stab them with enchanted swords and so on and so forth. Fanfiction is awesome!

A lot of my old X-Files stories aren't the greatest. I started to lose interest in my last one. Shadow Chasers featured a few of my Original Characters I was writing original fiction about but it didn't work out well since the main female was more Mary-Sue-esque. The first one was...interesting to look back on. I couldn't believe I wrote it!

Yeah, season six was good. I loved the one where they go into the virtual reality game and take on 'the Goddess'. And then Scully gets the high score! God, I love that show. Chris Carter kind of set you up for a fall though when he wrote the series as he went along. By the time the series finale came on you were reaching for any answer, but I didn't get many out of the episode. In fact, the biggest question for me by that time was HOW THE HELL DID THE SMOKING MAN SURVIVE?!

Did you take off your X-Files stories completely? I'd like to read some if I could.

I'm glad you feel the same way about brothers as I do! My own has a lot of problems to work out before he can fully grow up, although I did read somewhere that boys take longer to mature than girls. He lives in my mom's basement, but it's not tiny, so perhaps he should be moved into a tinier room away from the house (spiteful glare). Sometimes I love him, but you have no proof of that.

No way I would berate anyone for not bringing Anna back. The storyline is so overdone I would throw a party for the small number of authors who didn't bring Anna back and who didn't insert an OC female who outshines Gabriel and who outsmarts Carl and who's the love interest of every MALE CHARACTER. Not that I can really complain. I did put Mina in. Maybe it's just me, but I would not really call her a Mary-Sue. She's not exactly an original character (despite the liberties I took) and she doesn't necessarily outshine anybody (I hope. As I said I am the writer). I took the Universal litmus test and it said she was just borderline Mary-Sue, so I'll take that as a good thing. You'd have to pull a Chris Carter and replace all the main characters with other 'improved' characters before I'd really start berating you, but you know better than that.

Smart move getting most of your story done first. Maybe I could learn from your example. In that case, I've got a lot of writing to do!

I would love to go to New Orleans. Especially around Mardi-Gras. Oh, but first I need to be old enough to drink (silly grin).

**_HyperCaz_**: A crossover with Van Helsing and Hellboy would be cool. There's at least one in the Hellboy section of Fanfiction. You'd have to take some liberties with the timeline though, since Hellboy takes place half a century later than Van Helsing. It would be interesting to see Gabriel next to Hellboy and Carl attempting to outsmart Abe. Quite an interesting story. I'd love to hear about it when you post it!

It is a little silly to have created a city the size of a football field. Then again, I'm not a very religious person, and my previous statement is in no way meant to be offensive to any religion. Remember, even God has a sense of humour. Just look at the platypus. Sorry, I couldn't resist. It's a line from the movie Dogma.

If Van Helsing were real there would be a lot of people getting their butts kicked.

**_KMIA_**: I thought you had better things to do with your time than stalk me over the Internet. You do live in the smallest town in the whole world (besides maybe Vatican City (See the previous review response) with nothing to do but watch the grass grow.

YAY! My application to a completely falsified institution of education was accepted! Does this mean that I get to come up at Christmas time and beat you for implying that I enjoy the use of sexual innuendo in books and stories? You know I can kick you're a, but we won't get into that online.

Kiefer Sutherland is not butt ugly and he can act. You will burn for saying such things! And I don't care if I lose the previous offers. I will defend him till I stop liking him, and I do have raging hormones, so it could be tomorrow or next year. I'll keep you posted.

No you are not the evil things that makes bad things happen! I was sneezing remember? That is a sure sign of the devil...lol. See yah later dude!

Ps: Thanks.

**_Scholar_**: Unfortunately, all things must come to an end, and if I kept this story going on any longer, everyone would begin to become angry and restless like back at chapters 19 and 20 when I was beginning to drown them in tedium.

Oh, and Carl will be leaving his lab again. I will make sure that he does.

**_SirTiddywinkle_**: If I was going to make a sequel, it probably wouldn't star Morgan. I got rid of her, but I feel like there is a part of me missing too! (BEGINS CRYING).

Reads the last part of her reviews and starts laughing that would be an awesome sequel! I would love that to be written with just random silliness. That was priceless. Thank you very much for that! It made my day!

**_Jo_**: Thank you very much for everything you said! I was aware that Morgan was associated with healing and in many versions of the story she has nothing to do with Arthur. In fact she is used with Magick to represent water and change and naturally healing. I didn't mean to take so many liberties with her character and certainly didn't want to make her something that she wasn't, but there are certain sources that regard Morgan with a little more contempt and feel that she was more villainous than many were lead to believe. She was a sorceress. Magick ran through her family. This didn't necessarily mean that she was throwing around fireballs and such.

It is true what you said about wits. I'm sorry that my portrayal of Morgan may have offended you and the story wasn't what you expected. I changed her character to accommodate the Faerie Magick, something that wasn't mentioned in any story.

I wasn't sure how long the pentacle remained a Christian symbol. Thanks for clarifying that as well! I should have done a little more research on my symbolism. Thanks for your review!

**_Moriann_**: Thanks very much for writing that! I appreciate it. And please don't send me a howler. As great as it was to read it happen to Ron, I don't suppose it would be as pleasant to have it sent to me from an enraged reviewer after I dropped Carl off another tower/cliff/other tall object.

PS: Thanks for the review on Hellsing! I'm still trying to find it in town. Silly movie stores and their lack of good anime!

**_Well, there it is, the second last chapter of Shards of Avalon. I'll say my farewells next chapter, but I will say this: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! You all know how awesome it is to get feedback and I am no different. This is the highest reviewed story I have. THANK YOU SO MUCH!_**


	24. Epilogue: The Importance of Small Victo...

Disclaimer: The characters and concepts in this story pertaining to the movie Van Helsing are the property of Stephen Sommers. This is an amateur writing effort. There was no money made off the writing and or posting processes of this story.

* * *

Epilogue: The Importance of Small Victories  


"It was at that moment, just after the great Van Helsing had killed the mighty Queen of the Faeries that Mina Harker found her way into the caves and discovered what he had done."  
The children gasped at precisely the right moment as Fallon told the story, acting it out as he told the events that had happened when Gabriel Van Helsing, Mina Harker, and Carl (who's last name was unknown and most just assumed he didn't have one) had killed the mighty Queen of Fey, Morgan. He stood up, pretending he was the infamous monster hunter and tilted the fedora up on his head.

"Now, as you remember, Mina Harker needed the dreaded Queen's blood to cure the vampire curse within her. And now that the Queen was dead, she could do nothing but stare in horror at the corpse on the ground."

"What did she do?" One asked. Fallon's son Francis (who had heard the story so many times he could have told it himself) rolled his eyes at the request to tell them what happened next. Fallon looked at his son and smiled.

"The monster hunter graciously apologized. Or the vampire decided that she could simply endure."

"You don't know?"

"Well no one knows exactly what happened at that moment, but everyone knows what happened after that, don't they?" The children shook their heads and laughed amongst themselves. "You don't know what happened after the three left the caves?" Fallon pretended to be surprised and gaped at the thought. "I can't believe it! What have your parents been teaching you?" Another round of laughter from the children followed that. Fallon put his hands on his hips and rolled his eyes.

"It just so happens that when they left the cave they were surrounded by some of the most fearsome gypsies in England, lead of course, by their handsome, intelligent, and most ruthless gypsy leader in Ireland, Fallon." He stood up tall and put his hands on his hips. The children laughed again.

"Yeah, right." 'Aingeal' said from the side of him, gently rocking the bundle in her arms. "If I remember it correctly they ran into twelve gypsies and their bumbling leader Fallon Carroll."  
"You're wrong." Fallon said with a grin. "And your memory must be going. I think this last child of yours took all your brains."  
"Well you best hope it took something from me. There's not much good it could get from you." She replied. "Now go and tell the story right before I have to intervene." Fallon rolled his eyes.

"Alright, I suppose. We'll tell the story with no imagination and no character at all." Fallon still had the grin on his face though. 'Aingeal' sat down nearby, still rocking the child in her arms. He waited until she was comfortable and then he continued. "Now, when they exited the cave they did run into twelve gypsies and their leader, Fallon Carroll, who was not as unfortunate as his dear, sweet wife made him out to be." The children giggled. He paused a moment and then continued. "But, to keep to the actual story, they did run into a fearsome beast on the way back to camp!"

One child screamed while the others gasped. Francis rolled his eyes at his father.

"You're lying again, Dad." Francis said. "Do you want me to tell the rest of the story?"  
"Of course not." Fallon said to his son. "You'll tell it like it is, and no one likes it when the story is told as it truly went. Where is the enjoyment in that?"

"But..."

"No buts Francis." Fallon said. "Now, this beast..."

"Fallon..." 'Aingeal' said.

"Would you two stop interrupting?" The children laughed at his outburst. "Now, this beast..."

"Was about six feet tall, bald, and had a terrible tendency to tell lies?" The children took a moment to realize she was talking about Fallon. Once they did they were laughing again. Fallon nodded.

"Actually I was about to say that this beast was the gypsy leader's wife." 'Aingeal's' eyes widened at the comment. Fallon just laughed. "I'm joking, love. The beast was just a minor threat and was taken down rather quickly." He laughed a little again but the children missed it. "They returned back to the camp and spent a night there before returning home."

"I thought you said that they fell in love?" A girl asked.

"Did I?" Fallon said, cocking a brow. He remembered back to the beginning of the story and then smiled. "Ah, yes, I did say that didn't I." He shrugged. "So, they had returned to the camp and the mighty Van Helsing is separated from the beautiful Mina Harker as she is dragged away by the ferocious 'Aingeal'." His wife smiled. "When she returned she could not find the hunter anywhere until she looked into the caravans at the edge of the camp and discovered him hidden away inside one of them." Fallon smiled and looked down at the children. "It is here, that it is said, the great and lonely Gabriel Van Helsing and the beautiful yet lonely Mina Harker kissed."

The girls sighed in satisfaction while the boys looked disgusted. Fallon smiled.

"You see when they met they should have hated each other. His mandate ordered him to destroy her. But even the hearts of fools and monsters can be stolen, and most of the time they are stolen by one in much the same position as they're in." The voices quieted as he finished the story. "Naturally, one can only assume that the church did not approve of such a relationship, if indeed the young heroine traveled back to Italy with Gabriel Van Helsing."

"What if she didn't?" One of the girls asked. Fallon smiled.

"I choose not to think of what might have happened if she didn't." He said. "The thoughts of an ill fated love affair are too horrible for my mind." 'Aingeal' smiled, looking at her husband. He smiled at her and looked to their son in her arms, the son that they had chosen to name Gabriel.

* * *

The story Fallon would tell months and even years later was definitely not the full truth. Tiny pieces of it were completely falsified (especially the part about how Carl survived his tumble from the tower, since no one had really listened to his physics theory). He never once knew the true ending of the story, and wasn't sure he wanted to.

In truth, Gabriel and Mina did meet inside a caravan, although their kiss was not exactly as Fallon had accounted it. She had found her way when she saw his darkened silhouette in the window, and slipped inside without him seeing her.

"I thought you would have been outside with the others." She said, looking out towards the celebration that was taking place at the camp. The funeral rites had already been performed, and if Fallon's beliefs were correct, Morgan would face judgment in Avalon from her brother Arthur and the council there. Now, the gypsies were truly dancing and singing, rejoicing that their lands were safe from evil.

"I'm not a people person." He said. "I always have bad experiences in large groups."

Mina smiled softly, stepping closer. He looked over to her and found that she had changed from head to foot. She was no longer in black, but rather, a long white dress and matching corset about her waist. Her hair hung around her shoulders, cleaned at last, and Gabriel's scarf hung around her neck. He tried not to stare but it was harder than he expected. Mina looked...well, she looked...beautiful.

"What is it?" She asked, self-conscious. He shook his head.

"Nothing." He replied. "Nothing, I've just never seen you in anything but black. At least not that I can remember..." Mina smiled again nodding, moving closer to him. The light from the fires outside the window licked against his skin and danced over his tanned features. His dark eyes softened in her presence.

"I used to wear colours." She said. "Did you?"

"I don't remember." He replied.

"Have you ever tried?" She asked him. "Even just dark colours?"

"Well there was this one costume..." He began, recalling Dracula's masquerade ball. The thoughts of the crimson garb made him remember Anna in her red ball gown. Just thinking of Anna made him close his eyes again, taking a deep breath. "Other than that, I haven't even worn colours. It's harder to wash blood out of colours."

Mina nodded. "I know what you mean."

Gabriel glanced over at her. She smiled at him again, hanging her head low behind a layer of her wavy brown hair.

"You should wear some kind of colour every now and then." She said. "It makes the darkness a little brighter."

He turned around to face her, looking at her fully for perhaps the first time they had met. He noticed everything this time. He noticed the unnaturally pale skin and the veins beneath her flesh. He found her intense eyes softened and her usually tightened mouth loose, watching him just as he was watching her.

"I can't promise you forever, Mina." He said, answering her without her even having to ask. She shook her head and grew nearer.

"I don't need forever." She said. "I just need you."

He took her by the arms while she just stepped forward again, embracing the kiss that was long overdue. When retelling it, Fallon would explain how they had wanted it all along. He would go into grave detail about how she had separated from him only once to catch her breath and whisper something probably meaningless to him. Mina had ran her hand on his cheek as they kissed and it didn't move even when he pulled back for a moment.

"Even if I wear black?" He asked, jokingly.

"I don't care what colour you wear." She said, kissing him again.

They kissed again. Gabriel pulled her closer and pressed his back against the wall. He pulled back once more.

"What do you think about me in green?" He asked.

"The ladies in London say its very vogue." She replied, kissing him again, not wanting to be interrupted once more. But Gabriel, knowing she was growing impatient, pulled back just once more.

"You would wash blood stains out of green clothing for me?"

"I said I wanted to be with you." She said. "But that doesn't mean I'm doing laundry."

He laughed again, kissing her once more, taking her up in his arms and over to the bed in the caravan. She relaxed against the bed spread, still holding his head close to her. Gabriel's hand reached over to her corset lacings but she stopped and shook her head.

"There will be none of that tonight Mr. Van Helsing."  
Gabriel shook his head.

"Call me Gabriel." He said and kissed her again.

* * *

Gabriel looked out over the packed platform next to the outgoing train. She had promised she would be there, ready to leave with her bag of things, but she wasn't there yet and the conductor was calling, ready to leave. Carl was already inside their compartment, looking out the window at Gabriel and called to him.

"I don't know how the Cardinal will react to this, Van Helsing." He said. Gabriel gave a small whimsical smile. He knew exactly how the Cardinal would react. Jinette would give him a speech on how relationships were forbidden in the Order. He would give him a speech about sinning. He would give him a speech about courting a widowed woman. Gabriel just hoped the Cardinal never discovered Mina's other secret, namely her blood lust.

"If you think about this Van Helsing there really isn't a way that the Cardinal can take this well." He said, putting the small bags into the overhead carrying case. "I mean you are bringing a woman back and not just any woman if you know what I mean."

"You wouldn't tell him, would you?" Gabriel asked him, knowing that the question was silly. Of course Carl wouldn't tell.

"Really, Van Helsing, you ought to have more faith in me." He said. "I wouldn't say a word. As long as you keep my sins out of your conversation we have a deal."

Gabriel laughed again, thinking about how interesting that conversation would be. He could spill out the things he knew about Carl, like the barmaid he had taken to bed back in Transylvania and the gypsy woman he had flirted with back at Fallon's camp.

He turned back to the station, still not seeing her anywhere. He was looking for the black dress and cloak, completely covering the sensitive skin of the vampire from the bright sun that shone down from the sky. Instead, he caught sight of her in a white and black pinstripe dress, standing at the edge of the station with a parasol in one hand. Her hair was pulled into a bun, off the scarf that hung around her neck. She carried a suitcase in her other hand.

"Mina..." He said, looking down at her skin. It was exposed to the sun completely, the parasol barely protecting it.

"I may not have been able to drink her blood," Mina said, "But that shouldn't suggest that she didn't have something else I wanted."

She handed him the suitcase and pulled up the long sleeve of the coat over her bare wrist, holding it out to Gabriel. Under a flap of pale flesh was a piece of metal, one that looked remarkably like the piece of Excalibur from one of Morgan's swords.

"So I'll still be hungry every now and then." She said. "But I don't have to run from the sun anymore."

Gabriel smiled at her, looking from the wrist to the train. Mina narrowed her eyes.

"What is it?"  
"Nothing." He said. "But I think I have a new understanding about small victories now."

They boarded the train and took one last look at the glorious city of London. Mina laid her head on Gabriel's shoulder and looked out the window, out at the sunrise and the places beyond that.

* * *

_This is my life,_

_It's not what it was before,_

_All these feelings I've shared._

_And these are my dreams,_

_That I've never lived before._

_Somebody shake me, 'cuz I must be sleeping._

_Now that we're here, so far away,_

_All the struggle we thought was in vain._

_All the mistakes, one life contained, _

_They all finally start to go away._

_Now that we're here, so far away,_

_And I feel like I can face the day._

_I can't forgive and I'm not ashamed to be the person that I am today._

* * *

Credits:

Directed by: Stephen Sommers

Written by: Melanie Bopolopolopolous

Starring:

Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing

David Wenham as Carl

Peta Wilson as Mina Harker

Julianna Margulies as Morgan le Fey

Antonio Banderas as 'The Superior/The man'

Keira Knightley as 'The woman'

Alun Armstrong as Cardinal Jinette

Kate Beckinsale as Anna Valerious

Orlando Bloom as a random and miscellaneous sentry.

* * *

Additional Stuff:

(Black screen. Choral voices heard with a bell tolling in the background)

Van Helsing VO: The dreams are getting worse...

(Lightning strikes. Two winged silhouette appear in a cloudy sky. They fight, attacking each other with their bare hands. Their faces around unseen)  
Van Helsing VO: There is a battle.

(One of the faces is clearer. It is Van Helsing)

Van Helsing VO: Then there's pain...

(The other winged creature rips at the Van Helsing's wings. He tears them off)

Van Helsing VO: And then I fall...

(Aerial view: Van Helsing tumbles down to the ground. The second of impact, the screen flashes to black)

(Universal logo comes to the screen.)

(Three figures walks into the Vatican, Van Helsing is in the middle, Carl on the left and Mina on the right.)

(Cut to: Mina and Gabriel sitting together on a bed)

Van Helsing: I'm ready to give up my old life.

(Cut to: The three walk down the steps in the headquarters)

(Cut back to: Mina and Gabriel sitting on the bed again)

Mina: But...

(Cut to: The three find the headquarters destroyed)

Van Helsing VO: I get the feeling someone doesn't want me to.

(Camera closes in on Van Helsing's shocked face. In the back ground a woman is heard laughing)

(Cut to: Van Helsing turns and fires a rapid succession of arrows from the crossbow at a figure that flies across the ceiling. He aims at her when she stops and her head lifts to reveal bright, blood red eyes and long, straight black hair. She hisses at him)

Gabriel: Well this is just perfect.

Woman: You remember me then?

Gabriel: Sometimes I wish I wouldn't remember these things.

(The woman swoops down at Van Helsing. They fight again. The fight ends when she bites him on the throat)

Woman: The name is Elizabeth Bathory, Gabriel.

(She changes back into a human.)

Elizabeth: Never forget it again.

(Gabriel grips his throat. It seems that something is moving under his flesh, making the veins around the area turn purple and blue.)

Elizabeth: In twenty-four hours you're mine.

Gabriel: I doubt that very much.  
(She transforms into her vampire form, looking much like Dracula's brides. She laughs before flying off into the night)

(Gabriel looks after her and picks up his crossbow before walking out of the headquarters)

Narrator: He is a man looking for his past.

(Gabriel rides into the snow covered forest of Transylvania once again)

Narrator: But his past...

(Gabriel stands alone in a darkened city square. Behind him is a man in blue robes)

Narrator: Never stopped looking for him.

(Gabriel whips around with his crossbow at the ready. The man in the square smiles at him. It is the man from his dream)

Man: Hello, Gabriel.

Gabriel: Hello, Michael.

(Music: Going Under by Evanescence.)

Music: I'm going under!

(Gabriel screams and rips at the chains that are holding him to the ground)

Tagline: A hunter...

Music: Drowning you!

(Mina Harker loads an arrow into her bow, looking around the snow covered forest)

Tagline: A vampire...

Music: I'm falling forever!

(Carl ducks down as a male vampire flies down after him)

Tagline: A friar...

Music: I've got to break through!

(Cut to: Gabriel throws his fists against a layer of ice that holds him under the water)

(Rapid Succession Scenes: Mina and Gabriel kiss passionately. Gabriel fires his crossbow. Michael and Gabriel run at each other. Elizabeth hisses at the camera and transforms. Michael and Gabriel reach each other and tackle each other.)

(Cut to: Title Screen)

Title: Van Helsing 3: The Fallen

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, there it is, complete with CREDITS! I apologize to all the Orlando Bloom fans out there. I do not like him very much at all. And sorry, I get excited over the smallest of things and the credits were ridiculously small.

Anyways...

About the sequel:

Mina and Carl will be coming back. It will focus more on Gabriel's past though. Michael (Antonio Banderas! I love that man) will make another appearance as well. But who to play Elizabeth Bathory? I suppose I will have to think about that while I write the next story!

* * *

Reviews:

_**I have to say that this is one of the highest reviewed stories I have ever written. I loved everyone's opinion, valued the time everyone took to leave any length of review, whether you appreciated my work or you didn't. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**_

**_Kanaloas Wrath_**: Here is my update. I'm sorry that it's the last chapter, but such is life.

**_SirTiddywinkle_**: Perfect? (Smiles giddily) Thank you!

It was nowhere near as creative as Vampire Trampoline Solicitors. I swear I couldn't look at my trampoline in the same way again after reading that. I went out there with my friends and started laughing. I don't know, it sounded like something Carl would do. He would so use science to get him out of a tough situation.

Morgan could make a fortune on the porn industry. Maybe she'll come back in Van Helsing 4: Bordellos of Avalon.

And there's the ending, with several kisses because Gabriel couldn't shut up. God I love Hugh Jackman (pouts).

**_Saerry Snape_**: Don't glare at it too hard! It's not a cliffhanger anymore, since there's now a conclusion.

I wish I could listen to the VH soundtrack. It was great.

**_J_**: Hmmm...well, minor technicalities. Stephen Sommers deserves it for...something. It's unfortunate there's only one Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. So many people, so little time...

Love the flamethrower idea! Looks like Carl's got some inventing to do before they come back for the sequel (gets an evil grin when thinking about mass amount of inventions left to invent). Hmmm...Holy Hand Grenades of Carl? Sounds catchy.

I read some of Lady Erised's 'In the Name of God' and was in shock. I felt so inadequate. She is good!

**_HyperCaz_**: Morgan was evil enough (at least in this story) to cheer for her when she died. She's not exactly the nicest of people, but then again, are there any truly and completely nice people in this world anymore?  
That would be awesome to see a HyperCaz land. I would go.

And as for Dogma, see it. But I wouldn't recommend it if you are a very religious person and have great faith in Catholicism or Christianity. It deals with a lot of topics that could and were considered sacrilege when it was released. I did laugh at the platypus line though.

You won't have to wait very long for a sequel. I'll get started on it as soon as I can.

**_Scholar_**: I couldn't bear not giving Carl a shot! He deserved it after being hung off her tower, chased by her faeries, falling from her tower, getting shot at...the poor guy. It's a little humourous though, since Gabriel seems to assume all the injuries he should from going through all that.

I will go into more detail about Michael in the next story. Sorry I can't say anything else about it in this story! I have said as much as I will! Don't throw anything at me!

**_Fanfiction Fanatic_**: I liked the end of Morgan as well. You won't have to wait any longer for the next installment!

**_Grissom_**: It must be very hard to kill Carl. I mean he survived through Hyde and Dracula and don't get me started on how many fires he must have started in the Vatican. He is going to outlive everyone in the franchise (except maybe Gabriel, who just gets injured and then recovered. Carl just causes other people's injuries. I love it!)

And the Carl-loving mob? I would be living in fear from the Carl-lovers mafia for the rest of my life!

I loved the hurricane episode of the X-Files! My personal favourite episodes were Arcadia, Detour, The Ghosts who Stole Christmas, the hurricane episode, and this one from the earlier seasons where a kid was haunted by the ghost of his twin brother who was like the devil (I can't remember it very well, but it freaked me out). I got into that problem with pacing myself and am running into right now with some of my original fiction and school. Stupid chemistry class! It's ridiculously hard!

I'll search the title and give it a read when I can. I have to get off the computer pretty soon (silly school).

Mary-Sues are described as uber-perfect girls inserted into the original story. There's not an exact science as to who is and who isn't a Mary-Sue. Some are perfected versions of the authoress (most of the time they appear in Lord of the Rings and are paired up with Legolas), and others are inserted girls who basically outshine the original characters. They make the main guys look like wimps next to them. If you're worried about it at all (you shouldn't be. Unless your character is so irritatingly perfect that it's impossible for anyone else to have a role in the story, you shouldn't be worried). But if you are, check out the Universal Mary-Sue litmus test which should give you a pretty accurate idea of whether or not she is.

By the way, I would love to beta, if you would let me!

I hope this update was soon enough. It was as soon as I could make it. STUPID SCHOOL!

**_Vampire Princess, Morwinda_**: I am glad that you're back and enjoying the story! I can't believe it's been months since I first started writing this story! I started it the day after Van Helsing came out, and now it's been three or four months! It's unbelievable!

I'm glad that you enjoyed it and that you're looking forward to a sequel.

Unfortunately, the movie company means to torture those who can no longer download movies by making the release date so far from now, and like two weeks after my birthday! I'm actually going to have spend money on it, and I'm broke (cries).

I'm not very far in the game. I just made it through Frankenstein's castle before I had to take it back to the store (weeps). Congratulations on making it to Aleera! She was my favourite bride, but I agree with Anna, she did talk too much.

**_Trinity Van Helsing_**: The book of Van Helsing is great. I really enjoyed Anna's flashback and the depth they added to her character and Frankenstein's. I could never have killed Carl! He would be the only character I would ever bring back from the dead.

**_xImmortalx_**: Mina was created by one of the servants of Dracula, not one who was made by Dracula, but one that worked for him. If the servant were Dracula's spawn, Mina would be bye, bye!

The spiders were not Morgan's. They were just enchanted creatures who decided to make their home in the ground. Charming huh? They were actually the creation of Nickolaus Pacione, one of my reviewers who writs awesome original fiction on Fictionpress. I loved them.

_**Thank you again to everyone who reviewed. Whether you reviewed once or was with me every step of the way I appreciate every little bit of feedback I received and loved reading everyone's comments. Although it got a little tedious at times or the updates were very sporadic, we had a few laughs and some tears and some more laughs and some screams...maybe. I hope you will all look into the sequel which will be up as soon as I can get it up! **_

_**Sincerely, Beguile (Mel)**_


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